


Clover To Love

by Kyunesphere



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dimension Travel, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:01:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 47,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24086278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyunesphere/pseuds/Kyunesphere
Summary: Im Changkyun is mortal enemies with Yoo Kihyun since high school. They go to same college and get a job at the same company. Seems like Kihyun is impossible to shake off. At Christmas Eve Changkyun wakes up to another world, one that he is... well... not mortal enemies with Yoo Kihyun.
Relationships: Im Changkyun | I.M/Yoo Kihyun
Comments: 99
Kudos: 543





	1. Entering the Clover Universe

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there~  
> I try not to spoil the story much so I messed the summary I think but hey, give it a shot.  
> For now, I plan this to be 3 or 4 chapters.  
> kudos and comments, suggestions are very welcomed^^  
> By all means, have fun~~

“Hey there!” Changkyun's eyes light up as he smiles at his friend when he spots him sitting at a corner table and he hurries to him, enthusiastically lifting his fist.

“Hey!” Jooheon looks up with a smile and fist bumps with Changkyun. He wears an orange sweater, probably to complement his outfit with his freshly dyed orange hair. Contrary to Changkyun who wears a suit-boring- he looks fun. Normally Changkyun is a guy who prefers sweatshirts and jeans to walk around in but he is wearing a stuffy suit and tight necktie now... That’s how Changkyun rolls with these days because working at a company has downsides like this. Thankfully Changkyun looks awesome in a suit and that makes everything else bearable regarding to dress code he should obligate.

“Hyungwon hyung will join us tonight if you don't mind. You remember him right?” Changkyun asks, sits across his friend as Hyungwon sits next to him.

Jooheon waves to Hyungwon before throwing a fry into his mouth. “He works at your department.” He says and turns to brunette. “We’ve seen each other a few times right?”

“Yep.” Hyungwon nods. “How are you?”

“I’m good thank you hyung. How about you? How things are going?” Jooheon asks, biting another fry.

“Same old same old. Work, papers, reports and sometimes pudding.” Hyungwon shrugs, taking a fry from Jooheon's plate.

“Wow... you guys have pudding?” Jooheon asks, eyes wide.

Changkyun nods, chewing a fry he grabbed the moment he did sit. “Yeah. You should come join our company hyung. We can use a sound engineer like you.”

Jooheon laughs. “Thanks but I’m happy at my studio.”

“Too bad.” Hyungwon shakes his head. “We could use another person to side with us at our pudding fights with Yoo Kihyun.”

Changkyun rolls his eyes. “He tried to take my pudding okay? What was I suppose to do? Sit back and let him?”

Hyungwon laughs, covering his mouth with his hand and Changkyun pokes his shoulder trying to explain his reasons.

“How is Kihyun hyung doing by the way?” Jooheon asks when they settle.

“I saw him running around with bunch of files in his arms before I left. ” Hyungwon says as he shrugs his jacket off.

With the mention of the guy’s name, Changkyun shivers. “Idiot.” He mumbles, “Its Christmas Eve and he can’t even finish his work to go celebrate.”

Changkyun heard the manager wanted weekly reports to be done by evening and finished his reports quickly. He took off early since his work was ended and he ran away from the company as soon as possible. A smile forms on his face when he also delightfully remembers the guy in question running, yelling him to hold the elevator while Changkyun was pressing the buttons furiously. Changkyun of course, didn’t wait for him and let elevator go down. The angry expression on Kihyun’s face when the doors closed. It was perfect.

“Can we please not talk about that guy while we hang out to celebrate Christmas Eve?” Changkyun slops on his chair by window with a pout on his face. “I see that devil everyday already, it’s enough.”

“Devil?” Hyungwon raises an eyebrow. “Aren't you friends? You two are always teasing each other.”

“Friends?” Changkyun barks a laugh. “Not even remotely close. Not even in his wildest dreams.”

“How about your dreams?” Jooheon wiggles his eyebrows and earns a smack from Changkyun. He rubs his arm with a glare but still, Changkyun can see he is snickering quietly from across while he reaches for the menu.

“Shut up hyung.” Changkyun rolls his eyes.

“Why though?” Hyungwon tilts his head, curious. “I too, thought you would be friends giving the fact that you know each other forever.”

Changkyun rolls his eyes, shrugging his jacket off of his shoulders. He feels hot. Probably due to slowly boiling anger in his chest. “That hyung…” He puts his jacket behind the chair. “…where you are wrong.”

“They are like arch enemies.” Jooheon says as he flips the menu. He is gonna get a beer, classic, but still he takes a look and speak as he flips the pages. “Think about Harry and Draco.”

“Some ships them though.” Hyungwon says with a not-so-hidden smirk.

“Iron Man and Captain America.” Jooheon adds.

“What?” Changkyun looks at Jooheon with a surprise. “They are not even enemies.”

Jooheon shrugs. “Yeah but people ship them. The thirst is real.”

“Oh please.” Changkyun rolls his eyes. He stops a bartender and they order their drinks before they decide on the meal. Changkyun looks at Hyungwon who expects him to continue with a curious face. So he huffs, leaning back on his chair. He crosses his arms on his chest and sighs.

“We know each other since high school, I think I mentioned that once before. At a company party like this.” Changkyun stops then, looking around himself and remembers that this is a company christmas party so he lowers his voice, leaning on the table. “Anyway Jooheon is right. That guy is like my mortal enemy. Or I’m his mortal enemy I don’t know, I think it goes both ways.”

Hyungwon tilts his head. “Yes he is annoying, I agree on that but why though? He is not that awful?”

“Yeah tell me about it.” Changkyun rolls his eyes, shakes his head in desperation. “He was the head of the school discipline comite. And I was the troubled kid who just came back from states with zero knowledge about Korea and cultural difference. So I was always in detention, even for the slightest thing. ‘ _You are late for class Changkyun, two hours of detention_.’, ‘ _You forgot your tie, one hour of detention_.’, ‘ _I don’t like your hair, detention!’_ things like that. After a while he just started to give me detention out of habit, I’m telling you. You remember he told me to stay for 3 hours of detention out of nowhere Joo? What was that? I still have no idea.”

“I waited at Atari saloon but you never came and then I thought you ditched me. It was a dark day for our friendship.” Jooheon pouts and presses his lips together. “Maybe he felt lonely? Being headboy is a lonely business you know.”

"I was traumatized." Changkyun narrows his eyes and presses his lips together. He fixes Jooheon a look before he continues. “More than half of my high school life I spent hours in detention with him. A total nightmare.” Changkyun shivers, remembering the black chalk board. After seeing it for hours, he's grown to hate it with every meaning of the word. Looking at that chalky darkness so much really wasn’t nice. Changkyun sitting on a front desk, a meter away from Kihyun who sit on the teacher’s table, always seem too busy to talk with Changkyun. Hair always styled, round glasses adding a sharp but somehow cute edge to his serious face, his black uniform looks like it’s just made for him while he did scrabble something on the pages he was so engrossed with. Sometimes when he flipped pages too quickly, the small difference in the air would make his hair wave. Very annoying, very handsome, very deadly. 

Changkyun shakes his head, blinking back from memories when he sees waiter putting his drink on the table. He mutters a thanks to the guy before he takes a big sip from the beer. Waiter looks cute but for tonight Changkyun is off business. He can’t flirt with him because duh, this is a company party so Changkyun should behave. He doesn’t want to be a topic to any gossip.

“And you went to the same college. Don’t skip that part.” Jooheon adds, takes a sip from his drink.

Hyungwon smirks then, opening his soda- yeah he preferred soda for some reason. “Sounds like a destiny or something.”

Changkyun grimaces. “It’s not destiny, I’m just unlucky as fuck. I have no idea how we always stick together. I can get high school at some point but college? How did that happen? He is 3 years older than me guys. 3 years older.” He holds his three fingers up to make his point. “T-H-R-E-E! How the fuck did we manage to get in the same university at the same year?”

Jooheon purses his lips. “I heard he did military service and took English lessons for a year before the university.”

“Yeah!” Changkyun squeaks, clapping his hands for once and opens them in front of his friends as a desperate gesture. “Why? I mean he could just get in college and get his degree and then go to military or whatever. Why before the college? Why not later? Why? Why did he have to go at the university at the same time with me? To torture me?”

“Some people prefer going military before the college though. They don’t want anything to interrupt their upcoming life.” Hyungwon replies. “It’s reasonable.”

Changkyun scoffs. “It’s not reasonable. Not at all.” He sighs. “In this story, it’s not reasonable at all. I'm telling you, that was all a part of his plan.”

"And what plan is that?"

"A plan to destroy me, annihilate my being forever." Changkyun pouts.

"Yeah I'm sure that's his plan." Jooheon scoffs.

“You studied software engineering, he studied…” Hyungwon interferes, stops when he tries to remember the rest of his words.

“Economics.” Jooheon completes.

“Yeah so you guys studied different majors. You could have easily avoid him.” Hyungwon says. “If you wanted.” He adds but that goes unnoticed.

Changkyun pouts for the nth time. “We had so many classes together. The university had this common lessons principle for students from different departments to get friendly more. And we had to team up at every project for every lesson we took together because apparently, professors love teaming up nerd students. At least 2 lesson on my script for each semester, I was stuffed in a library with him. It wasn’t fun.” Changkyun sighs again, looking up at his friend with sad eyes. He nods with a sigh when Hyungwon says “And now you are working at the same company.”

“Told you.” Changkyun says, hitting his index finger on his chest twice, pointing himself. “Unlucky.” He sighs like the millionth time that day.

“Maybe I offended the gods. I don’t know. Maybe I forgot giving milk to a cat. Maybe I forgot to throw an empty can to the trash. Something must have happened.” Changkyun says, leaning his head on his hand.

Maybe he really did something wrong at some day without noticing and universe is punishing him. Eternally.

Jooheon looks at him and then laughs.

“What?” Changkyun asks with a confused face. “Do you belittle my suffering? Do you think this is funny hyung?”

“Don’t you?” Jooheon asks, smile lingers on his lips.

“Do you see me laughing Honey?”Changkyun raises an eyebrow in a questioning way. He sighs for the millionth time and takes a sip from his beer.

“I don’t know but when you tell it like that, I think Hyungwon hyung is right.” Jooheon jerks his head to Hyungwon next to him. “It seems like destiny, bro.” 

“Have you ever tried to be friends with him? You two are pretty similar. You both work hard, good with people, charming.” Hyungwon says, sips from his soda lazily.

“You think I’m charming? Don’t let Minhyuk hyung hear that.” Changkyun says with a wink, hoping he can change the subject.

Hyungwon scoffs, waving him off. “Don’t worry dude. He thinks you are charming too, so my ass is saved.”

Changkyun smiles, feeling his mood up a little. “Let’s stop talking about that guy okay? I don’t wanna spend christmas party by reminiscing his tortures.”

“That’s gonna be hard because you know this is a company party and he works at your company.” Jooheon says with a smirk and eyes the door. “And he just walked in.”

Changkyun turns back so fast, he’ll surely get a whiplash later. Kihyun walks in with a lady Changkyun doesn’t know. It’s not that Changkyun knows every woman Kihyun is friends with. It’s the smile he is flashing, that's annoying. Whatever he does, he manages to get on Changkyun’s nerves so much.

“Idiot.” Changkyun mutters and turns to his friends. He sees Jooheon smirk, deliberately.

“What?” Changkyun rolls his eyes.

Jooheon shrugs, pursing his lips. “Nothing.” He says and jerks his head next to Changkyun.

“What?” Changkyun asks again and turns, seeing Kihyun is standing right behind him. He wears a black suit, red tie tight all the way to his neck, his black hair looks like he is just walked out of a hairdresser. He looks great. So nerve wrecking.

Changkyun hurriedly straightens up, glaring at the guy who looks down to him.

Kihyun tilts his head, arms cross on his chest, bends a little towards Changkyun. “Do you really think that I didn’t realize you put some of your files on my desk?”

“What?” Changkyun scoffs, getting up from his seat. He looks eye to eye with Kihyun, glaring at him furiously.

“And I’m sure you clearly saw me running for elevator.” Kihyun raises an eyebrow. He doesn’t look like he is angry but Changkyun feels goosebumps, knowing that actually _this_ _is_ the angry Kihyun.

“That was you?” Changkyun opens his eyes huge, shrugs casually. “I didn’t realize.”

“So you don’t refuse putting your work on my shoulder?” Kihyun says, tongue caught between his teeth. “I knew you were acting sneaky to cause trouble for me again.”

“Like I care.” Changkyun rolls his eyes, feeling annoyed with the closeness they have between. “And I didn’t do such a thing. It’s not my fault that you can’t finish your work in time.”

“Hi hyung.” Jooheon waves his hand, seems like he has no intention to get involved their snickering. Probably because he is immune to this silly quarrels.

Kihyun looks at Jooheon, his face completely changes and softens. “Hi Joo. You look good.” Jooheon nods in acknowledgement. “How is your mom?”

“She is okay, thanks hyung. She said she wants to invite you dinner sometime when you are free."

Kihyun nods. "I'll be free whenever Ajumma calls me."

Jooheon smiles,  "Wanna sit with us?” he asks and Changkyun throws him a flamey look.

“I bet he has anywhere else to be.” Changkyun presses on the words and turns to Kihyun with a fake smile. “Your girlfriend will get curious. You should go Yoo.”

“Nosy much?” Kihyun scoffs and then pokes Changkyun’s shoulder with his index finger. “Don’t try to mess with me Im.”

“Or what?” Changkyun swats Kihyun’s finger, glaring at him angry.

“I’m your superior at work remember. So I don’t know…” Kihyun smirks, glares back at him. “ _Detention?_ ” He smirks more and takes a step back.

Changkyun casts one last glare at Kihyun, who instead of making a sympathetic face in return, does some strange pointing motion to his face and leaves.

Changkyun slumps down on his chair, angrily bites down on the inside of his cheek. _Get a grip_ , he scolds himself, but it doesn't help so he gets up again, grabbing his jacket from the chair.

“I’m gonna get some fresh air.” He mutters to his friends and gets out in a whim.

The cold air sweeps his face when he opens the door. Changkyun takes a few breaths in, walks to the upside of the street but it doesn’t help much, it's not enough for him to cool down. So Changkyun walks on the street more. Passes some stores and markets, all of them have lights hanging from their tags, showing the Christmas spirit they have. Changkyun walks a few minutes more before he finally reaches to a park. He sits on a bench and watch people pass by. Couples, parents, kids... Everywhere is full with strangers. They all have smiles on their faces, they seem happy. Maybe because they don't have to deal with a walking-talking trouble named Yoo Kihyun like Changkyun has to. Yeah that must be the reason. Changkyun takes another breath, he doesn't know why he feels this annoyed, this frustrated but he just feels so hot headed. He has no idea how Kihyun manages to push his buttons so much. It’s unbelievable truly. He is not someone important for Changkyun. Why should he care about that asshole and ruin his day?

"Are you okay young man?" Changkyun hears and looks up, seeing a lady with a flower basket standing in front of him. She looks old, her hair is turning grey but her eyes are young, if that makes sense. She wears a faded blue coat, one that looks too thin, not suitable for the cold air.

Changkyun shakes his head slowly. "Yeah I'm just... a little bit suffocated." He replies.

Lady nods in understatement. She sits next to Changkyun, slowly leans towards Changkyun and puts her hand around her mouth like she is gonna say something important. "Love fight?" She asks and Changkyun barks a laugh.

"No." He shakes his head. "God no."

"Seemed like one." The lady shrugs, she pats Changkyun's arm softly. "Since you are a handsome young man and it's Christmas Eve, I'm gonna help you." She smiles and reaches in her basket and takes out something, a four leaf clover.

"Three leaf clovers are very common but four leaf clovers are hard to find so some people believe that if you find a four leaf clover, then you are lucky and your wishes will come true." She says with a smile and offers clover to Changkyun.

Changkyun looks at her for a second hesitantly but when lady holds up her hand to him a little more, he takes the clover. Actually he doesn't believe this kind of things but the lady is being nice and trying to cheer him up so he wants to act nice too.

"Thank you." He smiles with a small bow.

The lady smiles back softly and points the clover. "Come on, wish your wish."

Changkyun looks at the lady and contemplates if he should just get up and go but then again that will be rude so he just rolls with it.

"Well... I'm gonna go with a basic one then." Changkyun breathes in, he bites his bottom lip. "I wanna find love." He says the first thing that comes to his mind. It's a typical answer, he knows that but well.

The lady nods. “That’s everyone’s wish.”

Changkyun laughs. “Yeah I guess.” He says and looks at the lady. “So I’m gonna find love now?”

"Maybe you already did." She shrugs.

"Ah..." Changkyun smiles, it’s amusing . "I think I would know if I did."

"Wanna know?" The lady says with a knowing smile and reaches towards Changkyun before he can reply.

In a blink there's movement, and a swirl of blue light, and everything goes dark.

<-.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.->

A very sharp pain on his left cheek is the first thing Changkyun notices. And second one is him being lying on a soft mattress. He opens his eyes slowly, bright fluorescent light blinding him for a moment. A few black dot fly around aimlessly so Changkyun squeezes his eyes again. He hears rustles at his right and someone rushing to his left.

“Doctor!! Nurse!! Can somebody look here? I think he is waking up?” Somebody yells desperately.

Changkyun knows that voice. It’s Kihyun.

Changkyun has no idea what is that guy is doing with him but he has no will to see his face so when he opens his eyes again slowly, not wanting to see Kihyun's annoying face, he turns to his right and watches white coats approaching.

A middle aged man comes near, looks up at his IV and mutters something to the nurse.

“What happened?” Changkyun asks, voice coming out raspy.

Doctor turns to Changkyun. “You hit your head, do you remember?”

“I uh...” Changkyun mumbles. He remembers nothing actually.

“You know your name, you know where you are?”

“Changkyun and yes, this is a hospital.” Changkyun replies, slowly swinging his right hand between himself and the machines. “Obviously.”

“Great.” Doctor smiles and flips some pages in a file.

“How long is he gonna stay here doctor?” Kihyun asks with an uncharacteristically worried tone that makes Changkyun flinch. He turns to look at the guy and surprises because he looks... really worried? Changkyun blinks his eyes and looks at Kihyun’s face again thoroughly.

Are those tears? What the fuck??

“Yeah, seems like it’s just a black out, nothing serious.” Doctor says giving the file to nurse next to him. “After the IV, you are free to go home Mr. Yoo.”

Doctor nods and Kihyun replies with a nod, flashes a grateful smile.

Changkyun closes his eyes again.

Great, so Kihyun is fine. Doctor said he can go home. But why is that relevant with why Changkyun is lying here? Last thing Changkyun remembers is him talking with the flower lady. What happened after that, how Changkyun ended up in a hospital, he has no idea. 

He opens his eyes again and looks at Kihyun and realizes Kihyun is holding his left hand when the other one lets go for a moment to rub his fingers to his temple.

“Oh my god.” Kihyun breathes out, like something was stuck in his air pipe and now he can breathe easy. He looks at Changkyun with the kindest eyes-is that even possible- that makes Changkyun’s heart giddy, chest a little warm.

_No. Stop you stupid thing!_

“I was really afraid.” Kihyun says with a small voice. He reaches out to Changkyun cheeks and after freezing for a moment Changkyun flinches at his touch.

“What are you doing?” He asks, a little harsh than he intended, moving his head away from Kihyun’s touch. 

“Oh sorry.” Kihyun takes his hand back, looks down and breathes out. “It must have hurt a lot. I’m sorry. Yeah?” He smiles and Changkyun’s heart picks up a few beats. What the hell? Seriously? What is wrong with him? Just because Kihyun is acting nice, his body is reacting weird. Because he is not used to this kind of gestures to come from him, Changkyun’s body just... acts stupid.

“I’m okay.” Changkyun replies, because it seems like Kihyun needs to hear Changkyun saying that he is okay. It feels weird, talking with him without any bickering. Still Changkyun feels it coming though. A hurtful comment. A tease. Any moment. But for some reason, he doesn't feel like having an argument. Maybe for once, he wants to not have an argument.  He just wants to go home. “You don’t have to babysit me. I’m just gonna go home.” Changkyun says, trying to sit up and Kihyun holds his shoulders, much for Changkyun’s dismay and helps him but Changkyun flinches again very visibly.

“Easy,” Kihyun says, voice soothing, like he's quieting a frightened, violate animal. "Easy. It's alright. I’m here.”

Changkyun feels a strange pull inside him, a very little and very faint. He's uneasy.

“Well then I’ll just do the paperwork and take you home so you stay here.” Kihyun presses his lips together, giving an assuring smile and gets up, moving away.

Changkyun presses his palms on his temples with a groan after he is out of sight. What’s wrong with Yoo Kihyun? He looks so weird and acts so weird and talks so weird and causes Changkyun to give stupid reactions to his weird-everything. What does he mean by taking him home? Who does he think that he can give orders to Changkyun? _You stay here_ , Changkyun thinks. His fake kindness and sweet gestures can’t swoon Changkyun, he is perfectly fine to go home by himself. After all this him taking Changkyun to hospital and what not, Changkyun doesn’t want to feel like he owns Kihyun or something for dropping him to his house too so he quickly gets up, ignoring the world spinning a little around him and grabs his stuff.

He finds a cab and gives taxi driver his home address, to be correct his and Jooheon’s apartment.

His phone’s battery is dead, what a pleasant surprise. Thankfully the ride doesn’t take long and he reaches his destination in 20 minutes. He fishes his wallet and takes out money and something falls out. Changkyun picks up, it’s a receipt.

_‘Studio Lightning 80,000 won for I Am Yoo Studio'_

Changkyun looks at the paper in his hand, dumbfounded. Studio Lightning? What is that? He doesn’t remember buying something like this and he surely has no idea what is this _‘I Am Yoo Studio’_.

“Are you getting off sir?” Taxi driver asks and Changkyun nods, muttering a thanks quickly he gets off. He puts the receipt in his pocket and moves up to the apartment.

Changkyun rings the bell, waits a few second and then the door opens. Jooheon, wearing a yellow-black strapped onesie, opens the door. He looks surprised which that surprises Changkyun.

“Dude.” Changkyun lets out a sigh and moves pass his friend to get inside.

“Oh… Changkyun? Hi?” Jooheon says and watches Changkyun take off his shoes.

Changkyun places his shoes in the shoe rack and turns to his friend with a pout. “I’m surprised to see you here.”

“That should be my line.” Jooheon pouts too, looking adorable as always. “What are you doing here?” He asks and eyes go wide when he sees the patch on Changkyun’s head. “Did you have a fight?”

“I don’t know. Thanks for ditching me with that dick by the way.” Changkyun throws him a look.

Jooheon tilts his head. “O-kay?” He says with confusion. “But why are you here?”

“What do you mean? It’s my home. Where else would I go?” 

“Yeah of course. Of course it’s your home as well…” Jooheon replies, tilting his head and he seems more confused than before.

Changkyun ignores him though, he is too tired to make mean from anything. He just wants to take a shower, change his clothes and then maybe he will scold Jooheon for leaving him alone with his archenemy. But before all of this, shower! So he goes to his room to get his stuff and.. it seems like it’s not his room? It looks like a living room more than a bedroom. There is no bed or wardrobe. All of Changkyun’s stuff is gone. Walls are not purple, they are beige and they should be purple because Changkyun painted them by himself. And there is a coffee table in the middle of the room. Since when they have a coffee table?

Jooheon follows him but stands at the door meanwhile Changkyun looks around him with a confused expression.

“Joo, where are my stuff?” He asks, turning to his friend.

Jooheon frowns. “What do you mean?”

Changkyun takes a step back, turning around himself to check again and then rubs his eyes, like that will help. It doesn’t help though. Everything still seems same. It’s definitely not his room.

Changkyun turns to Jooheon with a confusion. “What do I mean?” He asks. “Joo where are my stuff? What's going on? Are you kicking me out?”

Jooheon gets up from the wall he was leaning and steps closer to Changkyun. “Did you and Kihyun hyung had a fight? Is that why you are here?”

“Do you think that is important?” Changkyun snaps. "My stuff is gone hyung!"

“Yeah it is!” Jooheon replies with a slight anger on his face. “If you are not okay, you should tell me. I’m your best friend and if he hurts you, which I doubt that because that guy adores you, you should tell me so I can help you. Just because he is your husband, doesn’t mean you gotta—“

“Wait what?” Changkyun asks, dumbfounded.

“Ah… what?” Jooheon asks, suddenly calming down and his confused expression comes back.

Changkyun shakes his head. “Okay rewind. You said something. You said ‘husband’ right?” He asks.

Jooheon looks at him for a second and nods.

What the fuck? What husband?

Changkyun sits on the coffee table, slumps on it more accurately.

“I’m confused.” He says with a blank expression.

Jooheon weighs him with his eyes. “Kyunnie I know you love him a lot and he is a great guy but if Kihyun hyung is hurting you—“

“Kihyun?” Changkyun gapes. He blinks, lips moving without any voice coming out of him. “I can’t understand what’s going on right now.” He says finally, looking at his friend.

“Maybe you are having a concussion?” Jooheon asks.

“What? No.” Changkyun frowns.

Jooheon presses his lips together and slumps in front of Changkyun. “You came to me saying that this is your home but you are living with Kihyun hyung for 2 years. Clearly you don’t remember that. And there is a badge on your temple.” He says with a pout. “Are you sure that you are fine man?”

Changkyun looks down, trying to process.

“I’m living with Yoo Kihyun?”

“Yes.”

“We are married?”

“It’s been six months I think. I was the best man.” Jooheon says with a proud face.

“Of course.” Changkyun breathes out, crossing his arms. He looks down, swallows a few times and sighs. “Are you kidding me?”

“What? No?” Jooheon replies.

“Are you sure? Because you are saying some stupid things hyung. You want me to believe that I am with my mortal enemy? My arch-enemy? The guy who turned my high school life into a hell and then turned my college life into even hell-ier?”

“Changkyun what arch-enemy? You two are honeybuns since high school.” Jooheon says.

Changkyun blinks a few times before he replies. “What? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about!” Jooheon let’s out a breath and looks up. “Look, if you don’t believe me, check your identity card.” He suggests and Changkyun fetches his wallet fast, bringing out his card.

**Name: ‘Yoo Changkyun’**

**Marital Status: Married**

“Oh shit!” Changkyun drops the card on the floor and picks up again in a hurry, reading and reading again. “Did you change this?” He waves the card in front of Jooheon’s face.

“Dude why would I…”

“I took his last name? You want me to believe this?” Changkyun whines and looks at the card. It looks pretty real. “How whipped do you think I am for this guy for fucks sake?” 

“Ah.. you were the one who grabbed his hand and run to the officials when they allowed lgbt marriage so… _Very whipped_.” Jooheon says, voice gentling a little and Changkyun groans, throwing the card on the floor.

“What kind of bizarre world have I woken up to?” Changkyun asks, dropping his head on his knees, swinging his arms around him.

And then a phone rings, Freddie Mercury singing _The Show Must Go On~_

“Kihyun hyung is calling.” Jooheon says, Changkyun’s eyes dart between him and his phone. “Do you want me to open or nah?”

Changkyun lets out a sigh, feels like his head is gonna explode. All this, seems fake really fake. But also he is curious, because he is very sure that Jooheon is just kidding him and if that’s the case, Kihyun will definitely spoil the joke at some point.

“Answer but… “Changkyun swallows, licks his lips. “Put him on speaker.”

“Okay…” Jooheon nods and answers the call. “Hi hyung.”

“Hi Joohoney!” Kihyun replies, worry dripping from his voice surprises Changkyun. “Uhm…sorry for calling all of a sudden but… I can’t find Kyun.” _Kyun?_ “We were decorating the Christmas tree and he insisted on putting the figurines on top. I swear I looked away for one second, I don’t know how he fell. I took him to the hospital but he is not here now. What if something happens to him? Jooheon please. Help me find him.” Kihyun says voice trembling. “What if he fainted at somewhere? Oh God…”

Changkyun’s breath hitches. His chest tightens. He looks at the phone, listening distant crying sounds and Kihyun’s sniffs.

Is this real? Does Yoo Kihyun really cry because of him? Seriously, what kind of bizarre world did Changkyun woke up to really? What is this? Changkyun is sure that there is no way for both of them to feel any sympathy towards the other but here’s Kihyun on the other end of the phone, sounding like he is about to die out of agony… and it’s because of… Changkyun?

Seriously what is this?

“What do you want me to tell him?” Jooheon covers the phone with his hand and mouths to Changkyun as silent as possible.

Changkyun blinks, his mind is blank. He has no idea what he should reply his friend with or what he should do all together.

“Joohoney…” Kihyun sniffs.

“Hyung oh…” Jooheon looks at Changkyun, asking what he should tell but Changkyun stares back at him blank. Plain blank because he doesn’t know what to say.

Jooheon pokes his knee and Changkyun blinks a few times not saying anything.

“Aish… dude.” Jooheon let’s out a breath and holds the phone up. “He is with me hyung.”

“Really?” A sigh of relief, a kind that causes clenches in Changkyun’s stomach. “Okay I’ll—I’ll be there in ten minutes.” And phone call ends.

‘ _Joke_ ' is the only word that resonates in Changkyun’s brain.

This must be a some sort of christmas eve joke. There is no other explanation. Jooheon is really good at pranks and he must have convinced Kihyun to annoy the younger more. Changkyun breathes out a giggle then, starts to laugh, hands on his knees while Jooheon watches him with a weird expression. Like he is watching his best friend losing his mind.

“You almost got me hyung.” Changkyun says, wiping his tears caused by his hysteric laughing session.

“You emptied my room without even telling me, in hours by the way bravo for that because my bed is a dead weight so it must have been very hard for you to move it out. And you say I live with Kihyun. My mortal enemy. Draco to my Harry. That’s a really twisted joke man. I couldn't even think that and I'm a master joker.” Changkyun laughs a bit more before he looks up at Jooheon, crossing his arms on his chest. “Did you two make this plan to trick me? Why was he so sincere for gods sake? He didn’t need to sound like he’s dying.” Changkyun scoffs. “Yeah yeah I get it. It’s such a funny joke. Can we just wave to the cameras and get to the part you tell me where are my stuff?”

Jooheon narrows his eyes. “What joke?”

“Jooheon hyung are you serious?” Changkyun asks with a raising anger. “I said I got it. No need to keep up with this nonsense.”

“Kyun... I don’t know why you think I’m joking. What can I do to make you believe this is real? I mean... You wanna talk with someone else? You wanna talk with your mom?” Jooheon asks desperately. 

“Yeah hyung. Let’s just call mom.” Changkyun says annoyed. “I wanna use my ask-to-your-mom-card. Give me your phone, mine is dead.”

Jooheon looks at him for a second and then gives him his phone without saying anything.

Changkyun finds his mom’s contact on the list because well, he has Jooheon’s parents numbers and Jooheon has his mom's. Knowing each other since high school makes you do that.

The irony of it. Jooheon and Changkyun know each other since high school and they are best friends. Changkyun was so happy to be in the same school with him for college too. But for Kihyun, it’s the contrary.

With an attitude Changkyun calls his mom, nervously waiting for her to pick the call. The only reasonable idea seems to be talking with her because his mom would never lie and Changkyun highly doubts that she will be a part of this silly joke.

_“Alo?”_ A familiar voice replies and Changkyun let’s out the breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“Hi mom.”

“ _Kyun?_ ” A pause. _“Why are you calling me on Jooheon’s phone?”_

Changkyun takes a breathe. “My phone died. That’s not important mom I gotta ask you something.”

 _“Oh okay dear.”_ The woman replies.

Changkyun takes another breathe in. “Mom, when did I get married?”

A laugh. _“Are you joking with me?”_

“Right?” And then Changkyun laughs too. “Jooheon hyung is joking, right?” Changkyun looks at Jooheon who stares at him curiously and pinches his cheek. “For a moment I fell for it though. I almost believed.”

_ “Sweetie, did Kihyun forget about the day you got married?” _

Changkyun’s smile freezes on his face.

_“It’s not possible though. That boy keeps tabs on every day. The day you met, the day you started dating etc etc. Your dad barely remembers our anniversary!”_ She whines sweetly.

Changkyun feels his chest tighten then. “Dad?” He mutters, his eyes sting. He grabs the phone with both of his hand firmly.

His dad is _alive_?

“Yes honey? You wanna talk with him?” The woman says and after some rustles a thick male voice comes from the other side of the line.

_“Changkyun?”_

Changkyun flinches at the sound. His heart squeezes more. “Dad?”

_“Yeah?”_

Changkyun's lips tremble. “Is that really you?”

A laugh. _“Of course it’s me son. Why? Are you okay?”_ The man asks, voice turning to a serious tone. 

Changkyun nods. “Yes.” He says when he realizes he was just nodding without saying anything. “Yes I’m okay.”

_“Changkyun you don't sound like you are okay. You know if something is wrong you can talk with me.”_

“Yeah dad.” Changkyun replies, sniffling. "But i promise you I'm okay." He says, holding the phone desperately. 

_“Okay then. I’m giving phone to your mom. See you at lunch on Friday.”_ The man says.

Changkyun stares wordlessly on the wall without saying anything.

“ _Dear?_ ” His mom calls out.

“Yeah.” Changkyun replies, clearing his hurting throat. “Thanks mom, you’ve passed the test.” He says.

 _“Oh was this a test?”_ His mom giggles.

“Yeah…” Changkyun replies swallowing a lump in his throat. “Talk to you later mom.”

_ “Okay dear. Give my love to Kihyun.” _

Changkyun closes his eyes. “I will.”

Changkyun hangs up the phone, giving it to Jooheon who looks at his face with a clear confusion. That expression will stick on him at some point if he continues to look at Changkyun like that but Changkyun knows he has the same face too because… Well.

“It’s real?” Changkyun says, more to himself than Jooheon but Jooheon nods, putting away his phone.

“You think I lied?” The older tilts his head. “Why would I do that bro?”

Changkyun sighs, everything hurts at the moment. And it kinda downs on him. “This isn’t my life Joo…” He whispers and wipes his tears with the back of his hand.

Jooheon narrows his eyes, scoots closer to grab Changkyun’s shoulder. “What…”

“I think... I don’t know how but I have no other explanation but…” Changkyun sighs again, lifting his eyes to look his friend. “I’m in another life.. like some sort of alternate universe.”

“What?” Jooheon asks, face twisting to surprise. He looks at Changkyun like he just said dinosaurs are still alive, well in this world maybe they are.

“Do dinosaurs are still alive?”

Jooheon frowns. “Dude they did extinct thousands of years ago, you know that.”

Well... worth the shot.

“Hyung okay, hear me out.” Changkyun let’s out a sigh and grabs Jooheon’s shoulders. “You and I, we were at a party, my company’s party. You and I don’t work together but I invited you because you are my best friend right?”

“Right.” Jooheon replies.

“And Kihyun and I are like at each other’s guts, all the time. He came to the party and I was annoyed so I went outside to get some air. And then there was this lady who was giving flowers and she asked me what was my wish and I said…”

_‘I wanna find love’_

Changkyun re-lives the conversation in his head and remembers the mysterious smile on lady’s face right before Changkyun blacked out. She said she wanted to help. Maybe she has something to do with Changkyun’s situation. As crazy as it seems...

“You said what?” Jooheon asks.

“That doesn’t matter.” Changkyun replies, dropping his eyes to down and looks up. “And she gave me a… four leaf clover.”

“Four leaf clover?” Jooheon looks at him.

“And bam, I woke up in a hospital, Yoo Kihyun by my side. Then I rushed here.” Changkyun motions his finger between himself and Jooheon. “And you know the rest.”

“Bro…” Jooheon looks at him, he looks even more confused if that is even possible. “That’s some leap of faith you are asking me to do.”

“Tell me about it.” Changkyun sighs. “But I have no other explanation. Because think about it hyung. I don’t remember any of this. I don’t remember being with Kihyun since high school. I don’t remember marrying him. But I do remember Kihyun because I’ve met him in my life. In the other one. This is not my life. It must be someone else's. Some other version of Changkyun I don’t know.” Changkyun says nodding to himself, trying to convince himself rather than Jooheon because this is the only explanation he can come up with. “Maybe I should have studied science instead of engineering damn it.”

“Changkyun I don’t think you are ok—“ Jooheon starts.

“Hyung think about Marvel comics.” Changkyun cuts him. “I live on Earth-616 and this is like Counter-Earth. Do you get it?”

Jooheon crosses his arms on his chest, looking suspicious. “So that flower lady sent you to Counter-Earth from Earth-616 by giving you a clover?”

Changkyun pouts, he knows he must have sound insane but none of the things he just learned seem reasonable to him so there is nothing no one can do about it.

“You gotta trust me on this hyung.”

The bell rings, followed by a few hurried knocks on the door and Changkyun flinches, his heart starts to beat at his mouth.

“Changkyun---“

“Hyung my dad is dead in my life but in this one, he is alive. I wouldn’t joke about this right?” Changkyun sits down next to Jooheon, grabbing his hands. “I’m serious. You have to believe me.”

Jooheon looks down at their hands and up to Changkyun. He bites his bottom lip and nods.

The knocks on the door, again.

“What about Kihyun hyung?” Jooheon asks.

Changkyun shakes his head. “Don’t just tell him anything. I will find a way.”

“But you can’t just stay here you know that right? He won’t believe you like I did.” Jooheon says and then mutters. “I don’t even know if I’m fully believing you but…”

“What do you want me to do?” Changkyun asks, voice a little high, hands shaking. “I can’t just go with _him_!”

Jooheon let’s out a breathe. “Okay for today. Just for today, go with him and we’ll figure out the rest okay?”

Changkyun slumps down on the floor more, hands on floor, head hanging low. It’s like his worst nightmare met with his second worst nightmare. “Okay.” He mutters with a sigh because he knows Jooheon is right. If he is indeed in an alternate reality where he and Kihyun are… lovers, then Kihyun is not the person Changkyun thinks he is. He is another clueless person like Jooheon and it will only make things worse if they just try to mingle him into this equation.

Jooheon bites inside his cheek and looks at Changkyun. “I’m gonna let him in but we gotta talk about this more later okay?”

“Yeah.” Changkyun nods with a sigh and lets go Jooheon who gets up to open the door.

Changkyun lets out a breath and takes a deep one in. Heart beating so fast, he listens the sounds at the door.

“ _He is inside?_ ” Changkyun hears Kihyun ask.

Shit shit shit.

What is he gonna do?

How should he behave?

What is he gonna do? What is he gonna do? What is he gonna do? What is he gonna do? What is he gonna do? What is he gonna do? What is he gonna--

“Baby.” Kihyun breathes out in relief when he gets inside the room and eyes on Changkyun, he falls on his knees. His hands reaching to Changkyun and pulls him close for a hug, wrapping his arms around his shoulder.

Changkyun freezes. For the thousand time that day. His arms stay stiff next to him, unmoving.

“Oh my god, I was so worried.” Kihyun says, retreats a little and his hands- warm hands cups Changkyun’s face, eyes roaming around to check. Changkyun feels his cheeks warm up a little, very aware of how close they are.

“Are you okay? Why didn’t you wait for me?” Kihyun breathes out with a pout, hugging Changkyun again. Changkyun can smell the floral scent coming from Kihyun’s coat. It’s sweet.

Changkyun starts to feel weird, claustrophobic so he pushes Kihyun back a little, shaking the thoughts away. “I uh…” He starts but stops because he has no idea what to say.

“Hyung.” Jooheon interferes and Kihyun turns to him, still not letting Changkyun go away from his arms.

“Changkyun seems like he has this um…” Jooheon starts and Changkyun darts his eyes at him. “Seems like when he fell, he kinda had a concussion so he couldn’t remember some stuff.”

“What? But the doctor said he’s okay.” Kihyun says, turning to Changkyun with shock. “Baby?”

Changkyun gapes, licks his lips. “Well… After you left the doctor came back and said I’m okay but uh... this head bumping thing… He warned me about some side effects.”

Kihyun looks at him in shock. “What?”

“Hyung uh… I talked with Hyunwoo hyung, remember he is a doctor right? He said these cases are common and temporary.” Jooheon says with an assuring smile. “So don’t worry.”

“Really?” Kihyun asks. “Hyunwoo hyung said that?”

“Yeah and we scheduled an appointment with him don’t worry.” Jooheon quickly adds with a nod.

“Yeah” Changkyun says. “Don’t worry it’s temporary.” He doesn’t know why but he smiles to Kihyun. Maybe to assure him or assure himself. “I just don’t remember some bits and that’s all.” Changkyun shrugs like it’s not a big deal because it is not a big deal actually. Because this is not his life. 

Still he feels bad when Kihyun looks at him with a face twisted with concern. 

“Really, I’m okay. Nothing is wrong.” Changkyun says, trying to look convincing as possible. He looks around, eyes catching Jooheon and then looks back at Kihyun who seems unconvinced. So he just says- _he can’t believe but_ , “I just wanna go home.”

Kihyun bites his bottom lip, eyes roam on Changkyun’s face. He seems hesitant. Changkyun thinks he is gonna want to take him back to hospital until he nods after staying silent for a few moments. “Okay.” He says, fingers brushing on Changkyun’s cheeks and they probably turn red because it feels like they did. 

“Thanks.” Changkyun says, flashing a faint smile, trying to stop his heart going so woohoo. Because thanks to that, he can’t look in Kihyun’s eyes.

This is getting awkward.

“Let’s go home then.” Kihyun gets up, holding Changkyun from his arms and helps him get up too. He holds Changkyun’s hand – oh fricking god- and turns to Jooheon who watches them with somehow apologetic and confused face.

“Thanks Joo for keeping him. Say hi to Hoseok hyung.” Kihyun smiles and Changkyun’s ears perks up. Hoseok?

“I will hyung. Take care.” Jooheon says, sees them to the front door. “Kyunnie…” He says and Changkyun looks at him, sees him mouthing ‘sorry’ and shakes his head. 

“I will see you later.” Jooheon says, waving and Changkyun nods.

Kihyun grabs his hand again, “C’mon baby.” he says, brushing his thumb over Changkyun’s hand and smiles. Sweetly. A kind that Changkyun never saw.

A heartbeat.

Changkyun looks at their tangled fingers, mind go blank as he swallows and nods. “Yeah. Lead the way.” 


	2. Getting Started With Clover Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Changkyun tries to make meaning of some things and life is hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!! Thank you for liking the story, I hope you will like this chapter too!  
> Kudos and comments are so very welcomed.
> 
> Have fun!!

Changkyun looks around as he stands at the entrance. It’s a cute apartment, not small but not a huge one either. Probably has one bedroom and one spare room. The living room and kitchen are joined so from the entrance, Changkyun can see all of them. Interior design is neat though, there is a yellow couch with a knitted blanket over it, a big tv, a coffee table, lilac walls. There are two big bookshelves filled with books and cameras, lenses and other stuff that Changkyun doesn’t know but he guesses they are photography related. He sees the Christmas tree at the corner without a top angel.

This place seems so foreign, Changkyun wants to bolt out.

“Are you gonna get in?” Changkyun hears and irks, remembering that Kihyun was following behind him. He tries to keep his face expressionless, trying to not show his startle. Thankfully Kihyun doesn’t seem like he saw Changkyun’s expression, too busy to place shoes in shoe rack.

“Yes.” Changkyun replies after a few seconds of mind freeze and shrugs his coat off.

Kihyun takes his coat off and reaches, taking Changkyun’s too, hanging them both.

They move to the living room and Kihyun pulls him on the couch without warning, turns to Changkyun with concern. His eyes moves over the younger’s face with a pout and he reaches to touch the bandage. Changkyun jerks away and Kihyun pulls his hand away too, probably thinking he hurt Changkyun but truth to be told Changkyun felt intimidated by his closeness and the gentle touch.

“You keep saying there is nothing to talk and you are okay, nothing big is happened but I’m worried Kyunnie.” Kihyun says, looking down at his hands. His expression is really fragile and soft, it makes Changkyun’s heart crack, not break but crack.

Changkyun clears his throat, waves his hand like it’s nothing. “I’m seriously okay. Stop being so gloomy.”

“How can I not be when my baby got hurt because I was careless?” Kihyun replies, eyes bearing sadness when he looks at Changkyun. And his heart cracks again.

“First of all, I’m a grown man. If I fell, that’s my stupidity.” Changkyun says pointing himself. “And secondly, I just don’t remember little things like some addresses, some names etc. It’s not that important, they will comeback to me in a few days. Doctor said it’s common so no need to turn it into something big.”

Changkyun hopes this stupid explanation is enough for Kihyun to stop asking and blaming himself. Actually he wouldn’t even say this much but he thinks Kihyun needs some sort of comfort. Changkyun knows how to handle Kihyun, Kihyun who lives in _his life_ but he has no clue what to expect from this one. So far he gave weird reactions to everything Changkyun did, reactions Changkyun wouldn't even guess that could be come from Kihyun and it’s freaking him out and depressing him at the same time because he doesn’t know how to respond. Like how sad he looks right now makes Changkyun’s brain work backwards. He makes Changkyun wanna comfort him, which is something he would never do in _his life_.

“I'm telling you to not worry. I'm perfectly fine. _Okay?_ ” He tells again for conformation and Kihyun nods reluctantly.

“Okay then, it's good that we settled this. I’ll just go and take a shower.” Changkyun starts to feel bothered because he needs some time alone to think and bathroom seems like a good place to hide until Kihyun shows a mischievous smile.

“Want me to join?” He asks with a teasing look.

How the hell can he turn from puppy to hyena in seconds? What kind of duality is this?

“No! I didn’t mean that!” Changkyun yelps. “Shower! _Normal shower!_ ”

Kihyun bursts into a laugh then. It’s a first for Changkyun. Seeing him laughing like this. He seems cute.

_Cute?_

Changkyun really should get out of here.

“I’m going. Don’t follow.” He says and gets up, almost running to the bathroom.

He locks the door, sitting on the floor with his head between his hands.

What the hell is Changkyun living right now?

His life is a mess. Wait. Does he even have a life anymore? Will this become his life? What happened to the other one? His friends, his family do they know Changkyun is gone? To think about it, is he really gone? What if his life changed to _this?_ What about his work??

“Shit...” Changkyun mutters, squeezing his eyes. He totally forgot about the work. He doesn’t even know if he is still a software engineer in this life, if he’s suppose to go to work tomorrow or if he owns an occupation to go to.

 _Calm down_ , he tries to assure himself. _You’ve seen situations like this on movies Changkyun._

There is no use to panic and act stupid because there is always a way to go back to his life. He should be just calm and everything is gonna be okay. It never takes too long to go back in movies. Except Fringe… People literally did stuck in other dimensions for a long time in that tv series. Anyway it's not gonna be like that with Changkyun. Everything is gonna be okay in a few days. He just needs to find a way to go back and until he finds that way, he should act normal because he doesn’t want to cause any problem or wanna deal with people. Besides he can't talk about this with anyone, they will think Changkyun has gone crazy. He told Jooheon though if he believed in Changkyun or not is a bit blurred but Changkyun trusts him with his life.

Apparently literally.

Well, he can just blame the head injury when he comes across with a problem, that's for sure.

Okay, he is gonna act like _this Changkyun_ and when he needs, he is gonna play the amnesia card. That should help dealing with things for a few days until he finds a solution.

“Are you good? I don’t hear water running.” A voice comes from the other side of the door and Changkyun jolts up. He curses himself silently. He shouldn’t do that, he shouldn't act impulsive or be jumpy every time if he is gonna be a husband for this guy for a few days. But it's hard considering he spent nearly half of his life hating him.

“Yeah I’m okay. I was just…” Changkyun looks around alarmed. “Peeing!”

Shit, that’s embarrassing.

“Oh… okay.” Kihyun replies. “I’m gonna make some chamomile tea, come to living room when you are done.”

“Alright.” Changkyun replies and listens Kihyun walk away.

He takes off his clothes and gets in shower, trying to stay in there as long as possible but a person can stay under water only until the thoughts of world drought comes to their mind so after fifteen minutes, he steps out and surprise, finds fresh clothes on the cloth basket. Didn’t he lock the door? When did Kihyun get in? Changkyun didn’t hear him.

He feels even more embarrassed as he wears blue, soft pajamas. He opens the door, peaking outside and moves to living room quickly. Kihyun is nowhere to be seen.

Changkyun drops himself on the yellow couch and closes his eyes, waiting nervously for Kihyun to come. Maybe if he acts like he is sleeping, Kihyun will just stop bothering him and leave him there. Okay, that sounds like a nice plan.

A few heartbeats later he hears a few steps, first firm and loud then soft and careful. Changkyun feels a hand softly brush to his shoulder a moment later, a warmth follows. He feels his stomach turn, a nerve wrecking feeling settles inside.

“You must have been tired.” Kihyun softly whispers, too close, more than Changkyun expects and lovingly, more than Changkyun expects.

Then he feels arms under his legs and neck before he is lifted from the couch. Changkyun opens his eyes in shock, throwing his arms around and grabbing Kihyun’s shirt out of instinct as he yelps.

“Fuck _why_ …” Changkyun starts but his words die in his mouth when he realizes how there is only a few centimetres between their faces. Kihyun looks handsome from this angle. Huh, he didn't notice before.

Really Changkyun?

“You fell asleep.” Kihyun looks at him with a smile, continuing to walk.

How the fuck can he just grab Changkyun out of couch like he is a cotton candy? Kihyun and Changkyun have similar fizique but Changkyun can't imagine carrying Kihyun around like this. His arms would fall off.

Changkyun swallows, trying to stop stupid heart of his from racing this much. “Uh… you could have… just let me sleep on the couch.” He says, blushing when Kihyun tilts his head to look at him.

“But you hate sleeping on the couch.” Kihyun says and puts Changkyun on the bed gently, like he is made out of glass and if Kihyun makes a wrong move he could break. “I don’t want you to wake up with sore muscles.” Kihyun says, pulling the duvet away and adjusts pillows, “Only I’m allowed to do that to you.” says with a wink and Changkyun freezes. His brain stops working for a moment, trying to process what he means. It’s not that Changkyun doesn’t know or unfamiliar with what Kihyun implies, he had lovers before, but hearing Kihyun imply _that_ , makes Changkyun face burn like a blazing fire. Like it’s something he always says to Changkyun, he says it so casually. And he probably say it all the time, if you consider the fact he is married with the guy in this life. Still Changkyun, _this Changkyun_ is not used to _this kind of words_ coming from Kihyun so he chokes on his own spit, clenching his pajama’s collar as he coughs. Kihyun’s face twists to concern in milliseconds, he bolts out of the side he’s sitting and holds Changkyun with one hand, patting his back with the other he asks “Are you okay?” worriedly and when Changkyun nods he gets out of the bed. “Let me get you some tea.”

Changkyun watches Kihyun rush out of the room and drops himself to the bed, embarrassed he kicks his legs and swings his arms.

 _Why the fuck do I have to go through this?,_ he whines wishing to be teleported to his own bed right now.

But of course, he doesn't get to teleport, damn tech hasn't evolved yet so he just has to stand up straight when Kihyun gets in with a cup and gives it to him.

 _Act normal_ , Changkyun reminds himself.

Changkyun smiles, feeling a little more calm, muttering a thank you. Tea tastes really good and refreshing, it’s probably the best thing Changkyun had this day. And it's Christmas Eve. Sad, if you think it that way.

“What the fuck?” Changkyun jolts when he feels Kihyun’s arms around his torso, spilling some of the tea to his shirt. “Damn it.” He curses out loud.

Kihyun shifts, sitting next to him and looks at Changkyun with big eyes. He is surprised. His pj’s bottom is wet, somehow Changkyun managed to spill the tea on both of them but Kihyun doesn’t look like he is bothered with it, he looks more worried than angry.

“Oh my god are you okay?” He asks grabbing the glass from Changkyun’s hand, putting it next to bed and gets up, pulling Changkyun as he does.

Changkyun curses silently to his stupidity but he was just caught off guard. He totally didn’t expect Kihyun to be so… touchy.

Seems like he should expect it now.

“Yeah yeah.” Changkyun replies. “Sorry.” He glances at the guy.

“It’s okay. It’s not that hot. I’ll just change.” Kihyun shrugs, relieved and goes to the wardrobe. He takes out a shirt and gives it to Changkyun, taking a bottom for himself. Changkyun thinks about going to the bathroom to change but giving the situation of them being husbands, he thinks it will be weird so as fast as he can he changes his shirt.

He goes to put it in cloth basket and when he is back he sees Kihyun… without a pj bottom…and Changkyun’s eyes… kinda… stuck. He has really good calves and thighs, he looks skinny but he has muscles in his legs and he has a... ehem… nice ass. Changkyun didn't notice before.

“Are you checking me right now?” Kihyun says with a smirk Changkyun can see.

“What? No!” Changkyun replies in a denial.

Kihyun hums, neatly folding his wet cloth. Why is he doing that, he is gonna throw it in cloth basket anyway. What’s the point of folding it, just wear your pj goddamnit.

There's a very, very long pause, and then Kihyun lifts his head, meeting with Changkyun’s eyes. Changkyun looks away, clearing his throat, sitting on the bed as an attempt to gather some sort of composure about himself, trying to hide how flustered he is. And he is very flustered.

Kihyun laughs, Changkyun hears his laugh but he doesn’t turn. Instead he puts his phone on charger next to bed and slips under the duvet.

Kihyun goes to put his cloth in basket as well and comes back, turns off the lights and slips under the duvet too.

Changkyun tries to calm himself, trying to adjust the new dawning realization of the fact that he is in the same bed with Kihyun.

A hand touches his torso, light and glancing but enough to make Changkyun flinch even so. Instantly, Kihyun pulls back, raising his head a little to look at his face. “Are you okay?”

Changkyun couldn’t count how many times Kihyun asked this question already. He starts to feel sorry for the guy.

“Yeah yeah. I was just thinking something.” He says as sleepy as he can sound. “Go ahead.” He adds because clearly sleeping sticked together is a thing for this world’s Changkyun and Kihyun. Great.

Kihyun’s loose but firm hug comes back, he slides his hand on Changkyun’s torso and presses his forehead to his nape.

“Good night baby.” Kihyun mutters, pressing a kiss to Changkyun’s shoulder.

Changkyun stiffens, trying not to make it look so deliberate. “Sleep well.” He replies.

He lays in bed, listening the silence, wondering if the night had always been so still. Kihyun slightly snores but other than that there is no noise. Not even the distant sound of traffic. Changkyun tries to clear his mind, trying to assure himself that everything is gonna go back how it is used to be. And after a time that feels like forever, Changkyun falls asleep.

<-.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.->

Changkyun wakes up in a strange bed, and he knows everything is wrong before he even opens his eyes. Everything that happened last night rushes to him, almost giving him a brain freeze for life. Already feeling weariness rising, Changkyun checks the room. Lilac walls, beige duvet, white wardrobe, a field of lavenders photo hanged above his head… Yes, it’s the room he slept in yesterday.

Changkyun groans, forcefully sits up. He reaches out to take his phone off from charger and opens it, and the day once again takes a turn for the weird, because Changkyun didn’t realize it yesterday but this is one of the newest phones that work with biometrics so he easily opens it. Purple flowers, lavender, lock screen welcomes him. Uneasy, he scrolls through the contacts. Jooheon’s number is for a phone Changkyun doesn’t recognize. Hyungwon is not in his contacts at all. And, taking it from the top, none of his company co-workers and managers are listed…but there are a few names he doesn’t recognize, or only vaguely recognizes.

He checks the pictures and is terrified to see some of them because there are strangers in half of them. Like a dinner photo of him, Jooheon and a bulky guy with a sweet smile; a photo at a bowling saloon with a bright guy holding a cup; a mint haired guy with a gummy smile, Changkyun and Kihyun at a karaoke bar… The other half of the photos consists of Changkyun and Kihyun’s photos, mostly Kihyun to be exact. Kihyun laughing brightly, Kihyun smelling a daisy, Kihyun sleeping with a soft expression bare skin lighted by the sunshine seeping through the curtains, Kihyun looks at the camera with a head tilt, eyes bearing an emotion Changkyun never saw before, Kihyun kissing Changkyun eyes closed… These pictures in no way reflect the life he lives normally.

“Are you awake?” Changkyun hears a voice and startles, almost dropping his phone to the ground.

Kihyun pops out from the door hurry, sitting next Changkyun with an apologetic face and grabs his hands.

“Sorry baby I didn't want to startle you.” Kihyun says, brushing his thumb on Changkyun’s hand’s back. “How’re you feeling?”

“Surprisingly not terrible?” Changkyun replies. Give or take the state of his mental health is not that bad. “But there are small blanks in my sweet mind.” He adds quickly.

Post-trauma amnesia isn’t particularly upsetting or unusual. He can play that card as hard as he wants, and it shouldn’t worry Kihyun since it’s temporary.

Kihyun throws a smile but sighs as his eyes move over to the bandage on his temple. “I will never let you do anything alone from now on. I will constantly be watching you.” He says with a squeeze to Changkyun’s hand.

"Watching like The Police song Every Breathe You Take?" Changkyun says, trying to ease his own tension by joking.

Kihyun nods with a smile. "Yeah like that. Every breath you take and every move you make I'll be watching you." He sing songs. And his voice is actually sweet?

Changkyun snorts. "That's creepy."

"That song is creepy." Kihyun says with scoff and his face turns to serious. “I was really scared when you didn’t wake up. Don’t do that to me again.”

“Not planning on it,” Changkyun answers, voice wavering, but not for the reason Kihyun thinks.

Kihyun smiles with relief then.

“Come on, I made you breakfast. Wash up and I’ll be watching youuuu.” Kihyun says, leaning to peck on just above Changkyun’s left eyebrow.

Changkyun stops breathing for a moment and doesn’t take one until Kihyun leaves the room. He gets up hurriedly then, grabbing a yellow shirt with a dandelion design on and gray pants he totally doesn’t remember having, he runs to the bathroom. He freshens up and gets dressed, styling his hair a little as best as he can and walks out of the bathroom.

He hears a song playing then, a fresh trendy song he doesn’t know. Changkyun frowns, following the voice that leads him to the kitchen. On the way he freezes, catching sight of a photograph on the wall. It’s a picture of him in a dark green suit holding a lavender bouquet with his face lighted with a huge smile, eyes shining to the man next to him, Kihyun, who wears a dark purple suit mirroring the same expression Changkyun carries. His stomach drops, and he knows for sure. He knows without being able to grasp the whole mechanics behind it.

This is real.

But this isn’t his reality.

Changkyun drags himself and collapses onto the stool that is pulled up to the kitchen bar. It’s a nice kitchen. It’s a bit big for the house and there are a lot of tools but everything seems in place. It’s neat. It’s weird.

Kihyun hums along with the song and turns to him with a smile… soft. His brown hair falls on his eyes, it’s not like his usual slicked back style so this gives him a more soft aura somehow. Changkyun flashes a smile back, thinking it’s impolite if he doesn’t. Kihyun turns back to oven then continuing whatever he was doing before Changkyun came in.

Changkyun sighs, takes a deep breath. The scent coming from the pan is intoxicating. It smells like… “That smells like french toasts that my dad used to made,” he murmurs, heart aching.

Kihyun throws a look at him over his shoulder, curious. “Yeah, that’s why I’m doing it. You love them.” He says, turning to the kitchen bar and places two pieces per plate.

“You know my dad’s recipe?” Changkyun asks in surprise.

Kihyun nods. And he returns counter to pick up the coffee to pour in two cups.

Changkyun frowns, looking at his plate blankly. This was his dad’s special breakfast, the one he made at weekends because he was always working in weekdays so it’s special to Changkyun. Before he died, Changkyun never got to learn how he did it because his dad kept saying there was a secret ingredient, one Changkyun can't put in. And in fact, Changkyun could never managed to make french toasts like his dad’s because he never got to learn the secret ingredient.

Changkyun also never ate french toasts with anybody besides his dad. Because this was his brand. This isn’t something Kihyun should have known about him.

“It’s gonna grow heads if you keep staring at it.” Kihyun chuckles and sits across him.

“Yeah… I'm practising.” Changkyun half- smiles, sticking his fork into one of the pieces and takes a bite.

It tastes amazing. Just like the ones his father did.

“You like them?” Kihyun asks, taking a sip from his coffee.

Changkyun hums and bites again, swallowing a piece in seconds. Really, they taste like heaven.

“I’m in love.” Changkyun answers, dazed.

Kihyun smiles sweetly, sweet enough for Changkyun to avert his eyes.

“How did you learn the recipe?” Changkyun bites on the other piece.

“Cause I’m awesome.” Kihyun smiles smug, sliding one of his pieces to Changkyun’s plate. Changkyun stops chewing, looking at the piece and a warm feeling spreads on his chest lightly. He clears his throat before looking at Kihyun.

“No Yoo, I’m serious. My dad never told me what was the secret ingredient. How did you learn?” Changkyun asks, taking a sip from his coffee. It’s really refreshing, all of his being vibes with happiness right now. And it’s really interesting because normally being in the same room with Kihyun effects him negatively.

“ _Yoo?_ ” Kihyun tilts his head, curiously. “You haven’t call me like that since high school.”

Changkyun stops, reaching his cup to hide his surprised expression. In this life Changkyun must have call Kihyun by his name not with his surname or weird nicknames Changkyun often say to him.

_Act normal._

_Act normal._

_You are supposed to be his husband._

_Stop acting like an outsider._

Changkyun shrugs, trying to act casual. “Because you act like a teenager.” He puts his coffee down next to his plate and throws a look at the guy across him. “Stop stalling and tell me.” He insists, diverting the attention from Yoo slip.

Kihyun smirks, throwing an olive in his mouth. “I just went to fishing with him until I learned.”

“Fishing?” Changkyun asks and Kihyun nods, finishing his plate.

He didn’t expect that. Changkyun remembers his father loved to go fishing and invited him often but Changkyun was too busy with his own life so he couldn’t get a chance to go with him as much as he wanted. He must have gone like three times at most. And besides him not being available, Changkyun did find fishing boring. Waiting hours and hours onlt to return with an empty basket wasn’t his thing but apparently Kihyun didn’t agree. For him. For the other Changkyun.

“What about secret ingredient?” Changkyun asks curiously. “What is it?”

Kihyun looks at him blinking a few times before he gets up to lean a little above the kitchen bar. “It’s secret for a reason.” He smirks, pinching Changkyun’s cheek softly,.

Even though his touch is light, Changkyun feels his face flush bright red. He still frowns, trying to hide his reaction. Thankfully Kihyun gets up fully, grabbing empty plates without saying anything but Changkyun can swear he saw a glimpse of a smile.

So he chooses to do what's best to hide his embarrassment. He keeps rambling. “That’s so unfair. It’s my dad’s recipe. It’s like my birthright to know it. I should inherit it. Why did he tell you but not me? I wanted to know.”

Kihyun laughs. “If you are so curious, you can just go ask your dad. I’m sure he will tell you when he sees how enthusiastic you are.”

Changkyun frowns more. “That’s unfair. He is dea—“ And he stops.

A pain stirs in his chest lightly.

His dad.

His dad is alive in this life.

Changkyun should go see him. Like right now.

His chain of thoughts is interrupted when Kihyun pecks on his cheek, squashing his face in his palms. Changkyun is not a fan of this gesture because it does some things to his insides. Some weird things.

“Okay okay don’t get upset, I’m gonna tell you.” Kihyun says leaning back to the kitchen bar.

“No no!” Changkyun protests. “It’s okay. I’ll just go ask him. Like you said.”

“You wanna go see your dad? Today?” Kihyun lifts an eyebrow.

Changkyun nods slowly. “I just… I missed him.”

“But we saw them at Christmas Eve dinner?”

“Yeah I know but… still…” Changkyun replies.

“Want me to drop you there?” Kihyun tilts his head and Changkyun shakes his head, relieved. For a moment he thought he couldn’t go like Kihyun won't let him or something. It's stupid.

“I’ll go on my own don’t worry.” He assures.

“Do you remember the address?” Kihyun asks, lifting an eyebrow like he is examining.

“Oh…” Changkyun swallows. He doesn’t know where his parents live because in his life his mother moved back to Gwangju after his dad died. In this life… they can be anywhere. If they are still in Gwangju then it’s gonna take at least three hours for Changkyun to go there.

He realizes he didn’t give an answer for a while enough to call awkward so he shakes his head, tapping his index finger to his temple. “Forgot it. Must be because of the little accident.” Playing amnesia card is the best he can do right now.

Kihyun’s face twists and Changkyun understands the guy feels bad again. Struggling between his reason and humanity, he reaches to touch Kihyun's hand and softly pats on it. “It’s okay. Please don’t feel guilty anymore. I’m okay.”

"No, I-- I will take you." Kihyun nods with a pout, weird enough he looks so cute.

Shut up.

"You-- you don't have to. Just give me the address and go to work. You must have a lot to do it's the day after Christmas eve." Changkyun says, realizing he has no idea what this Kihyun does for living. 

Kihyun pouts some more.

"I'm fine." Changkyun says again with a smile. Hopefully sweet enough.

Kihyun nods softly. “I'll give you the address."

"Thank you." Changkyun smiles wider.

"And then I’ll pick you up at evening and we’ll grab some burgers. Is it okay with you?”

Changkyun nods again, relived. “Yeah okay, burgers are my things.” He says.

Kihyun smiles, pecking on his forehead before he gets up to clean the plates. “I know.”

<-.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.->

Changkyun stands in front of the exact bar-cafe he was at yesterday. Before going to see his dad, Changkyun needed some time to get used to this idea, the fact that he is gonna see his father after seven years. And apart from that, Changkyun wanted to follow his steps from yesterday. Maybe he can find a clue or maybe he is lucky, an answer to his ridiculous situation.

He found the bar-cafe, it exists in this world too, only the sign is a bit different. Changkyun gets inside, checks around and sits the place he sat yesterday. He eyes everyone and everything in the place but no one seems familiar. So he gets up after a while, deciding to walk out. The waiter will be very angry for him sitting and leaving without ordering anything. Well, they can consider this as some sort of penalty, everything went upside down after he walked out of this damn place.

Changkyun takes a breath when he is out. He remembers walking down the street and there should be a park at the end of it. So he does what he did previous night. The street seems a lot less crowded in the morning, there are only a few people around and Changkyun carefully looks at each one of their faces. He tries to find that old flower lady, the last person he saw was her. He finds the park and checks the place but he doesn’t see that lady. Then he spends two hours walking around, getting into markets and shops, describing the old lady and asking if anyone saw her but he has no luck. He slumps down on the bench he sat on yesterday with a sigh.

“Don’t you think you wear too light for a winter day?”

Changkyun snaps his head to the owner of the voice and there she is. The old lady from yesterday looking exactly the same. The basket in her hand, thin blue coat on her back and the knowing smile on her face.

Changkyun bolts up, unable to form words due to shock, he just stares. He was looking for her but he didn't expect to find her here to be honest.

“What happened?” The lady asks with a smile. “Did you see a ghost?”

“You!” Changkyun manages to force out of his lips. “What… What is going on?” He asks.

The old lady purses her lips, sits and pats next to her for Changkyun to sit and Changkyun does follow her gestures blindly.

“Last time I saw you, you were wishing to find love. Now you are sitting here like someone burned down your house, stole your car and left you on a road naked."

“That pretty much sums me up actually.” Changkyun replies, trying to control his voice, there is no use of him being rude towards the lady because clearly she seems like she knows stuff. At least that’s what Changkyun suspects from her –I-know-you-from-before- behaviour.

“I woke up to a whole new world.” Changkyun tries and lady nods with a frown.

“Auntie…” Changkyun says with a small voice then, he turns to the old lady. “Do you know what happened?”

The lady looks at him for a moment, eyes go up and down and slowly she nods.

“What is this? A dream?” Changkyun asks then, feeling hurried.

The lady shrugs.

“An alternate life?”

The lady shrugs again.

“How can I go back?”

The lady smiles softly.

“Oh for Christ’s sake, can’t you just answer instead of doing gestures?” Changkyun says with a frustrated voice. It’s impossible to make her talk and she seems like she has no intention to reply anything Changkyun ask and that shouldn’t be happening because Changkyun needs answers, because he really wants to return to his own life and it’s getting annoying to feel helpless.

"Are you punishing me? Have I done something wrong?" Changkyun says desperately.

The lady purses her lips and maybe she feels Changkyun’s desperation, she pats his shoulder. "You are a good person Changkyun. I just want you to be happy."

"What?"

"And for your question, what you seek is in your wish.” She says with a smile.

Changkyun feels even more confused than he was five minutes ago. “I’m sorry?” He asks.

“No contrary, I believe you will be happy.” The lady replies with a smile. “Think about what happened, how it happened and why it happened. I’m sure you will find an answer.”

Changkyun frowns mumbling to himself. “I was at a Christmas party with my friends. Then I went out to get some air. I met you and you gave me a clover--”

“And where is that clover now?” The lady pats inside his palm with soft look and Changkyun stops talking. He searches his memory for it but he doesn’t remember seeing it again.

So he replies, “I guess… I lost it?” with a confused face. “But what does it have anything to do with this?”

The lady pats on his palm again, softly. “I told you what happened, how it happened will be your answer.”

“What do you mean?” Changkyun asks, tilting his head. He tries to piece together what the lady says but she speaks riddles more than meaningful words to Changkyun.

“Clover? That’s the key?” He mutters to himself.

The lady fixes her long skirt as she gets up. “I think I gave you enough of hints.” She throws a smile “See you later young man.” And starts to walk away.

Changkyun stares at her dumbfounded and then he bolts up starting to shoot questions.

“What am I gonna do now? This is isn’t my life, you can’t just let me stuck here! What? Should I find that clover? But I don’t know where it is!!” Changkyun asks but the lady doesn’t stop to answer it.

His brain works so fast.

“Does it have to be that clover? Or will it work if I find another one? And what is gonna happen if I find one? Will I wish something again? Hey!! Hey auntie!” Changkyun runs after the lady but when he turns the corner, she’s gone.

<-.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.->

Dad, is the first word that comes to Changkyun’s mind whenever someone talks about heroes. He had a lot of respect for his father, the man who thought everything Changkyun knew. The man who helped him become the guy who he is today. The man who he misses the most. After he was gone, Changkyun kept seeing vivid dreams of him, living, smiling, talking, walking. But when the morning came, Changkyun knew they were just dreams.

The ones that look just like this one.

Seeing his dad standing at a hand reach, alive and well, looking surprised but fond, Changkyun can’t help but think if this is another dream.

So he asks “Is this really you?” with trembling lips as he stands at the entrance, without moving because he is afraid his dad to vanish with his touch.

Sinhyeong looks worried. “Are you okay?” he asks and reaches to touch his shoulder and when he does, Changkyun let’s out a breath with a hitch, wrapping his arms around his father’s shoulders in a hurry.

“What happened?” The old guy asks but Changkyun shakes his head, unable to answer, cries.

“Dad….” Changkyun breaks the hug a few moments later but he holds the older man from his shoulders firmly. His eyes roam on his face. His father has lines on his face, his hair looks like it's falling out and turning to grey from the sides, his eyes are mixed with surprise but not an unwelcomed one, on the contrary he looks surprised because of Changkyun’s behaviour.

“What?” He asks when Changkyun pulls him into another hug.

His mother Grace shows up behind his dad with a panicked face. “What happened? Oh my god, something happened?”

Changkyun shakes his head, burying his face on his father’s shoulder and cries.

"Just a bad dream." Changkyun replies between his sobs. "I had a bad dream."

When he calms down and tears turn to sniffs they get inside. They query about his injury and Changkyun tells them what happened, he fell while he was decorating the Christmas tree. They seem worried and all but Changkyun brushes their worries off.

And Changkyun spends the whole day sticking with his mom and dad, talking with them, laughing at silly jokes, listening some music as he helps his mom making dinner and sitting quietly by his dad’s side watching his favorite show.

“Dad…” Changkyun asks, his heart flips painfully when sun starts to lay low. “What is your french toast’s secret?”

His dad looks at him, tilting his head. “Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

Changkyun looks down, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. Suddenly he feels small. “I’m just curious. I looked up recipes online but they never taste the way you made- make.”

His dad’s chuckling voice welcomes him.

“Besides, you told Kihyun. I know that and I think it’s not fair.” Changkyun whines.

Sinhyeong tilts his head. “He made french toasts? Like me?”

Changkyun nods slowly with a pout. He really wants to learn what is the secret so when he is back in his own life, he can do his dad's recipe.

His dad nods, he looks like he is thinking about something until Changkyun repeats his wish, “Dad… Please tell me.”

The old man shakes his head and pats Changkyun’s shoulder with a smile then. “Nothing.” He replies.

Changkyun blinks his eyes, eyebrows pulled together. “Nothing?”

“Yeah, nothing. It’s just a normal french toast.” His dad says. “Eggs, milk, salt and bread.”

Changkyun frowns. “But it tastes different? I thought you said there was a secret ingredient.”

Sinhyeong chuckles, shaking his head slowly. “My secret ingredient is my love. I just do it with love and that makes everything better.” He smiles.

Changkyun looks at him, confused.

“And if you say Kihyun is making french toasts just like me, then he must have love you a lot.” The old man says and ruffles his son’s hair lovingly.

Changkyun frowns, looking down and trying to make meaning of what his father said.

The door bell rings.

“Hello Grace.” Kihyun’s kind voice resonates from the hallway.

“Welcome dear.” Grace replies. “Are you here to pick Changkyun up?”

“Yes. He’s inside?”

Steps coming closer.

“Yes yes. Wanna stay for dinner?”

“Thank you but I promised Changkyun to take him out for burgers.”

“Those are his favorites.” Grace says as she and Kihyun enters the living room and Kihyun nods with a smile. He wears a red coat, black sweater and black trousers. His brown hair is falling on his eyes and his smile looks so genuine.

“Hi Kihyun.” Sinhyeong gets up to greet Kihyun and hugs him.

Seeing that makes Changkyun’s heart hurt a little. Thinking his father would approve him marrying a man and even treat that man like a son, seems like a faraway idea because when Changkyun realized he prefered boys instead of girls, his father was no longer in the same world he was living. Changkyun always thought what if he could talk all about this with his father, what would be his response. He thought about possibilities many times. Seeing him chatting with Kihyun, patting his shoulder, gives Changkyun some sort of ideas along with some sort of comfort feeling.

“Ready to go?” Kihyun asks with a soft smile and Changkyun nods, even though he wishes to spend a little more time with his father.

“See you at friday lunch.” His dad says, seeing them out with Grace clinging to his arm.

Changkyun hugs them both firmly before he leaves.

<-.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.->

“You had fun?” Kihyun asks as they walk to the black audi.

“Yeah.” Changkyun replies with a nod. “I helped him for a crossword puzzle.” He smiles to himself. He did consider crossword puzzles boring and he did tease his dad when he couldn’t finish them fully. But this time, he sat with him, trying to solve it for 3 hours because his dad didn’t want to look online for answers to questions they couldn’t reply.

“Crossword puzzles are hard. Did you finish all of it?” Kihyun asks, opening the driver door.

“I admit that it was a tough challenge…” Changkyun sits on the passenger seat. “But I didn’t yield. I didn’t even need to check up replies because I’m smart, so we won the battle.” He shrugs carelessly, feeling an urge to praise his wit in front of Kihyun. And then he remembers this is not _his Kihyun,_ there is no use of gloating to him.

Kihyun chuckles, eyes disappearing a little. “My mighty warrior, I’m proud of you.” He says as he ruffles Changkyun’s hair.

Changkyun blushes then, casting his eyes down on his hands. Kihyun just… says things. Soft things about daily things, stupid things… And Changkyun feels flustered. Changkyun feels _stuff_. In a way he would never thought he would…

Changkyun startles, looking up with wide brown eyes and blushes more when Kihyun reaches to his seatbelt. His brain refuses to work and gives 404 errors when he realizes Kihyun’s face is right next to his. Kihyun pulls the belt but lingers a little when he turns to Changkyun, unaware of his blushing face, or maybe he is aware because a taunting look settles on his face, lips pulled up slightly.

“Tough belt to pull?” Changkyun asks, clearing his throat.

Kihyun shrugs, pulling the belt and it comes easily. “Tough guy to impress.”

Changkyun blushes even more than before. Is there a degree on that? If there is, Changkyun is sure he just hit ten out of ten.

“Or should I say easy?” Kihyun retreats with a wink.

No, he hits ten now.

“Studio lights came today by the way.” Kihyun says after he starts the engine, not realizing Changkyun's face is practically painted red now.

Changkyun tries to focus on what he said instead of what he made Changkyun feel. Studio lights? Oh, so that was the receipt about. For Kihyun. Wait. Does Kihyun have a studio? Then that’s why there are photography equipments around the house. What was the name of the studio on the receipt? I am Yoo? I am with Yoo? Something like that.

God _they_ are cheesy.

“But one of them is broke so I sent it back for a change.”

“You did well.” Changkyun replies, thinking he should say something. “They should recover the damaged good and send another one.”

Kihyun nods, turning the wheel easily. The car goes on the way like it flies, no jumps no bumps. Kihyun is a very good driver and a respectable one, Changkyun should give him that.

“Did you talk with Jooheon?” Kihyun asks, glancing at Changkyun.

“Yeah. He said Doctor Hyunwoo is abroad but he is coming back tomorrow so we will go then.” Changkyun replies. He was supposed to meet with Jooheon and come up with some plan today but Jooheon had work to do and he couldn’t leave it for later so they couldn’t meet up. Instead they promised to talk next day. The only positive thing about that phone call was Changkyun to learn he is in fact a software engineer in this life too, he just doesn't work at a company and does freelance jobs instead. That explains why he has no contacts of the people from company like Hyungwon and why nobody calls him yelling saying he is late for work.

“I see.” Kihyun says, shifting the gear. “I’ll cancel tomorrow’s program and come with you.”

Changkyun shakes his head. “No, it’s okay. You should just do your stuff and I’ll go with Jooheon. I’m not working these days so one of us must bring money to home.” He says, as sheepishly as possible.

Kihyun scoffs. “Yeah yeah I know I have a baby to take care of.” He says as he parks the car.

Thankfully the lights outside are dim so he doesn’t see Changkyun turning tomato for god knows how many time that day. They get out, entering the small but fancy looking burger house. The smell fills Changkyun’s lungs immediately and he feels his mouth watering.

“The usual?” Kihyun asks.

The usual?

Whatever it is, Changkyun just goes with it.

“Yeah but I’ll pay.” Changkyun launches forward, bringing out his, _the other Changkyun’s_ wallet. "You order."

“Okay boss.” Kihyun takes a step back with a smirk.

They get two huge cheeseburgers, two potato chips and two cokes, finding a corner table that will give them some kind of privacy.

Kihyun gets one of the burgers and peels it’s cover diligently before giving it to Changkyun who accepts it with a surprised face and a few raced heart beats.

“He just keeps doing this things.” Changkyun mutters silently to himself before he noms on his burger.

“Hm?” Kihyun looks at him, throwing a french fry in his mouth.

Changkyun shrugs, peeling the wrap around the burger a little more and bites again. This burger is amazing. Changkyun notes in his mind to search for this place back in _his_ life _._

“What?” Kihyun insists, taking his burger.

“It’s just…” Changkyun shrugs. “This burger is awesome. I think I have found my soulmate.”

Kihyun scoffs, swallowing his bite. “That’s what you said when we first came here. This burgers are totally husband-stealers, they should be illegal.”

Caught off guard Changkyun laughs, covering his mouth. “What are you talking about?”

Kihyun smiles, amused and he takes a sip from his coke. “I said what I said. I’m gonna call the police.”

“And say what? There are burgers who tries to win my..” Changkyun stops for a second. God it’s hard to pronounce that word. “My husband’s heart?”

“Why not?” Kihyun shrugs.

“You can’t be that idiot.” Changkyun laughs some more.

“When it’s about you, I can.” Kihyun points Changkyun and crosses his arms on his chest.

Changkyun stops smiling then because his stomach flips three times consecutively. He rolls his eyes, shaking his head.

“What?” Kihyun asks, eyebrows lifted in curiosity.

“You just…” Changkyun starts. “You just say these things. Weird things. Soft things. And you say them all of a sudden.”

Kihyun’s eyebrows are pulled together.

Changkyun sighs. He can’t just say he is not used to him acting like this. He can’t just say he and Kihyun are at each other’s throats in _his life_. He can’t just say _his Kihyun_ would probably steal his burger and say choke on that, not peeling and giving him one.

“I feel giddy inside.” He admits instead. What's wrong with saying cheesy things, they are married already.

Kihyun looks at him for a moment and then a smug expression settles on his face. “Because I’m awesome.”

Changkyun rolls his eyes. This Kihyun that Kihyun... Both over confident. Some things never change apparently.

Changkyun leans back, looking at Kihyun. “Yeah you are not bad.” He comments because that’s true. Kihyun doesn’t seem like a bad person, at least this one.

“You are not bad too.” Kihyun says, smiling.

“Thanks.” Changkyun snorts.

They fall into silence then, a comforting one as they eat slowly. After a while Changkyun finishes, waiting for Kihyun and while he does that, he stares.

Changkyun knows he must seem stupid right now because he acted really dumb all day and sitting idly there watching Kihyun with a blank face, is definitely an addition to that list. But give him some credit, it's hard to not look. Kihyun looks pretty somehow, he is easy to talk, he is tentative, kind, witty and he can be dumb like Changkyun when he needs to be. This Kihyun has a vibe that Changkyun’s Kihyun doesn’t have. Okay he is not _Changkyun’s_ Kihyun, he just means the Kihyun in _his_ world. Changkyun wonders if he is any alike like the one in his world. But the Kihyun he knows is fierce, competitive, not very fond of Changkyun and those feelings are vice-versa. Changkyun wonders if Kihyun in his world would be like this, could they get along instead of bickering all the time? That wouldn’t be so bad. Apparently.

“What are you doing?” Kihyun asks, tilting his head as he swallows his last bite.

Changkyun shrugs, wiping his hands with a wet tissue. “Looking at you… And thinking.”

Kihyun nods slowly, a smirk appears on his face. “When you look at me and think, it never ends well.” He says casually and it takes a few moments for Changkyun to understand what he means. Normally he is pretty quick about what someone implies in a normal day but it’s not a normal day but it's not a normal day, he just travelled through dimensions yesterday. Probably. Still it's the second time Kihyun implied this, Changkyun should have seen it coming yet he didn't. Again. So his eyes open wide, mouth drying in instant, he mumbles.

“I didn’t—I mean…” He drops his gaze down and then looks around, trying to hide his blushing face which he thinks it’s impossible since his face feels too hot, it’s probably blazing red.

Kihyun laughs, clearly finding Changkyun’s expression funny, “There should be a bathroom somewhere.” He says with a suggestive look as he wipes his hands with wet tissue.

Changkyun looks at him, dumbfounded. How can he just???

???

Kihyun laughs again as he gets up, he grabs his coat. ”Come on silly. Let’s go home.” He extents his hand to Changkyun and Changkyun looks at it for a moment before he grabs.

“Yeah.” He says, trying to silence his very loud thoughts and ignore very vivid images in his head. “Lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think?  
> I was planning on finishing this on 3 chapters but I realized it will be rushed if I do that, So I will add more probably.  
> If you want too, of course.  
> Tell me~~


	3. In The Clover Universe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there!  
> Thanks for showing a lot of interest in the story! I'm trying to keep it real and show what really could be in a situations like that so there are a lot of conflicts in Changkyun which I hope you can understand.  
> I hope you like this chapter, please comment if you do or do not so I can know what you are thinking.
> 
> Have fun^^

Next day, Changkyun does the same as he did the previous one. He does have breakfast with Kihyun and talks with him casually, trying not to give away too much that he is not his _real_ husband, like a good husband would do, and in order to do that, he lets the other one speak more by asking questions, looking like he is interested in whatever Kihyun’s telling. After closing the door when Kihyun leaves, Kihyun who insisted a lot to go to doctor with Changkyun and Changkyun barely managed to convince him for the millionth time that he can perfectly go alone and Jooheon will be there with him, Changkyun takes a deep breath.

It’s not that Kihyun is a bad person to talk with. On the contrary, he is fun. Even when he talks about photography mostly. To be honest it’s really interesting to see how much he knows about the lenses, cameras, lighting etc instead of bickering about numbers and currencies.

Changkyun changes his outfit and goes back to the park with hope to see the flower lady and talk with her more, to understand his situation better and maybe convince her to send him back without playing tricks but after wondering around for two hours with no result, he decides to sit on the bench with a tired body and wait Jooheon to arrive. His phone vibrates when he sits down and he sees the new message light blinking.

_“Baby hi~~ What did Doctor Hyunwoo said? Nothing bad happened right?”_

Changkyun lets out a huff, ignoring the small pang in his heart when he reads ‘ _baby_ ’ and types a reply.

“ _I’m waiting for Jooheon. We didn’t go yet.”_

 _“Oh okay… Let me know when you do_ 😘 _”_

_“Will do.”_

Changkyun replies and looks at the screen. His reply seems weird somehow. Does he sound so cold? He sounds cold. Should he add some other message?

_“Be safe.”_

He adds eventually, concluding that it’s enough.

He slides through the screens and sees instagram app, clicks on it curiously. He didn’t realize the app before because apart from using it to make calls and write texts, Changkyun didn’t look into the phone much. And another reason is that back in his world, Changkyun is more of a twitter-guy. He likes to make lame jokes and anonymity of the account but seems like he has an instagram in this life, so that means he likes to post photos. And they date back to 2016. Changkyun scrolls down to the first post, a lavender field photo. Huh, he thinks, that’s the photo on his lockscreen. He scrolls up slowly. There are people he doesn’t know and there are photos from parties he’s never been to, in his world. He smiles brightly to his mom and dad’s photo, Changkyun deduces that they celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary judging by the banner behind them and their fancy clothes. In the other one he is sleeping with a puppy in his lap. He is on the Ferris Wheel in another one and it goes like that. He has photos with his dad at some carnival and his mom’s pies looks extremely delicious in another photo series. And, of course, he has photos with Kihyun. Lots of photos. From a winter vacation, from a summer vacation, from a camping vacation, from London, from Paris, from Boston, from somewhere Changkyun can’t figure out. In one of the photos that look like they are in a spa, they are both covered in mud and photo has caption “ _Getting pretty with my baby_ ”. In another one Changkyun laughs like crazy with a pissed off Kihyun who has ice-cream on his cheek. His latest photo shows Changkyun who makes an annoyed face while Kihyun bites more than half of his left cheek as he smiles. The caption is _“Stappph I need that face_ 😌 _“_ and there is a reply, Kihyun’s reply.

 _“It’s not my fault that you are so biteable_ 😚 _”_

And another reply to Kihyun’s reply, _“Guys your profiles are open to everyone, this is a public place. There are rules. BEHAVE!”_

Changkyun sees himself-the other Changkyun’s reply, _“My hubby my choice of what we should talk in public, suck on that_ 😝 _”_

 _My hubby?_ Seriously the other world Im Changkyun?

Changkyun rolls his eyes to himself before he curiously clicks on Kihyun’s profile. It’s more aesthetic than Changkyun’s, well he is a photographer duh, and there are really good photos in the account. It’s not his business account Changkyun guesses because there is a lot of goofy photos that belongs to them but that’s not interests Changkyun. He saw plenty of weird photos that belongs to them. What captures Changkyun’s attention is that there are really well taken photos here. Photos that looks like they are taken by a professional but not for professional purposes, more like because the person who uses the camera wanted to snap those scenes. A swing weighted down by snow in the winter, someone’s shadow on a red wall, a broken clock with it’s pieces scattered on an old table. Simple, yet pretty. It’s like they try to tell you something. Changkyun definitely feels like they tell something because he had no idea that a broken vase could look so beautiful, he had no idea that looking at a tree with no leaves, would make him wanna cry. Seems like Kihyun has an ability to convey emotions through his photos and it’s beautiful.

“What are you doing?” he hears while he’s deep in the account and jerks his head up surprised.

“Nothing!” He replies and stands up. “Hey.” He greets Jooheon with a smile but feeling slightly awkward because he was caught while he was snooping around his(the other Changkyun’s?) instagram. And that adds another question into his question lists. Should he feel guilty or not?Because technically this is not his own account but it's also can be considered as his own account. Right? As always, he has no idea. And he feels even more awkward because he doesn’t know how should he greet Jooheon, _this Jooheon_. Should he just act like they are best buddies like they are or act like they are newly friends? He didn’t think about it until they’ve come face to face and now it certainly feels awkward.

“I feel awkward.” Jooheon says before Changkyun can phrase his feelings and Changkyun nods as he scratches his ear.

“Same.”

Jooheon looks at him, no hurt feelings but obvious that he is slightly edgy. “I’ve thought about this thing and as much as it sounds insane and unbelievable, I think Changkyun wouldn’t lie or joke about something like this. Especially about his dad. And he wouldn’t just mess around with me like that so I think I’m gonna believe you.”

Changkyun takes a deep breathe, relieved. “Thank you.”

“And I’m gonna call you owKyun.” Jooheon adds with a serious face.

Changkyun frowns. “OwKyun?”

“Other World Kyun.” Jooheon explains. “To avoid confusion when I refer to you.”

“Okay.” Changkyun nods and laughs then. “It’s like _owwww Kyun._ I like it.”

“Thanks. It’s funny, I admit it.” And Jooheon laughs too. “ _Owww Kyun._ ”

Changkyun feels a heavy feeling lift from his shoulders then, knowing that Jooheon choosing to believe in him, he feels a lot more ease.

“So why are we here?” Jooheon asks, looking around. There isn’t a lot of people in the park, probably because it’s work-hours.

Changkyun grabs Jooheon’s arm and pulls him close. “Because I’m gonna tell you what happened exactly, from the start.” He says and he takes Jooheon to the cafe he was in at Christmas Eve and step by step he tells everything that happened that day and he also tells everything that happened yesterday.

When Changkyun finishes talking, they sit on a cafe that can see the bench Changkyun was sitting on an hour ago to have a view over the area, in case the flower lady decides to show up.

“Sounds pretty believable and unbelievable at the same time.” Jooheon says, holding his head between his hands, elbows on the table.

“Tell me about it.” Changkyun says, leaning back with a sigh.

“So I have some questions.” Jooheon declares.

“Like me.” Changkyun nods slowly.

“Can’t that lady take you back?”

“Based on how mysterious she acts, seems like she can but she chooses not to.”

“How long are you gonna be here?”

Changkyun shakes his head desperately. “I have no idea. Until I find that clover I think.”

“Okay.” Jooheon nods. “Do you need to find the clover that lady gave you for you to travel to this dimension or you can just find a random clover and go back to your own life?”

“That is…” Changkyun huffs. “Something I’m wondering about too. When I was here, it wasn’t with me so maybe I lost it? I don’t know. I asked her yesterday but she was gone before I knew it.”

“She doesn’t seem very helpful.” Jooheon purses his lips.

“Nope, she really is not.” Changkyun mutters. “And she says it’s for my own good. How is living in a world that's totally unfamiliar to me, a world that I have to pretend like someone I’m not is for my own good?”

“Trying to find reason in a person who sent you into another dimension with a four leaf clover is a bit useless owKyun. And those things are hard to find by the way.”

“I know.” Changkyun says in frustration.

Jooheon leans back. “What do you plan to do?”

“Honestly I wanna get the hell out of this life and go back to mine as soon as possible.” Changkyun says in a low tone when he sees waitress is approaching with their drinks and flashes a smile to her as a thank you.

“Is it that bad?” Jooheon asks curiously, leaning a little forward. “I mean, living like _this_ Changkyun.”

“It is because I’m not _that_ Changkyun. I’m _me_. I don’t know.” Changkyun replies and takes a sip from his hot cocoa, bitter than he expects and hot enough to burn his tongue.

“I see.” Jooheon says and pulls his mug to himself. “I guess you have no choice but keep up with this for a little while until we can find a solution.”

“It’s not…” Changkyun huffs, feeling a little bit suffocating. “I can’t keep doing this Joohoney hyung. You don’t understand what I’m going through. This isn’t my life. But it’s also my life. How can I explain this to you? You are not the Jooheon I know but you are also like my Jooheon hyung. Think about me and the Changkyun you know but that applies to everyone and everything I know. Can you follow what I’m saying?”

“I guess.” Jooheon bites inside his cheek.

“Everything is similar but there are really sharp differences and I don’t know anything about anything. It’s like…” Changkyun opens his hands in front of him as a desperate gesture. “I have no memory of anything in this life. I feel like I’m watching a second movie of a franchise with having only a few information about the first one and try to shape the next movie by my own, trying to continue that movie. I know it sounds stupid but it’s like this. It’s really hard to fake hyung. I’m gonna do something stupid and get caught soon or later. Somebody is gonna understand that I’m not the Changkyun they think I am and everything will blow up to my face.”

Jooheon throws him a pitiful look, pouting. “I’m sorry dude, it must be hard to fake.”

“It is.” Changkyun sighs. “Also I’m afraid to get used to it because everything is perfect in here you know? It’s not that my own life is bad, I like having my own routine and we are of course best friends back there too, obviously.”

“Obviously.” Jooheon flashes a proud smile.

“As I said, I have a decent life, one that I’m content with but everything here is different, like a story that is so good to be true. My father is alive and he is happily living with my mom. I get to see him, talk with him, hug him anytime I want. I’m not bound to any company, I’m doing my own thing. No superior to report to, except a few demanding clients. And I’m married to a guy who worships every step I’m taking. That is really fascinating because let me tell you that thinking about marriage is like the last thing I’d do in my life. I’ve only had a few relationships and all of them left me with a broken heart.”

Jooheon purses his lips like he is thinking and Changkyun mirrors his expression.

“Now that you say it like that, I understand you better I think. You have a point, you can get used to all of these pretty easy.” Jooheon says emphatically a few seconds later, pressing his lips together. “Maybe that lady meant this by saying she is doing you a favor.”

“What, showing me things I don’t have?”

“Maybe?” Jooheon replies. "Maybe it's more like what you could have, if things were different."

“I… I don’t know.” Changkyun’s eyebrows are pulled together. “I don’t know.”

“You should give some thought to this I think.” Jooheon suggests. "Would you like to have what they have? Would you like to be this Changkyun?"

Changkyun looks at Jooheon with a surprised face. He wasn't expecting a question like that.

"I don't know. I think it would be nice to have what he has. I guess I'm a bit envious. That's for sure. But then again, I'm not him, I can't have this life. It's unfair to him, to my parents, to you, to Kihyun, to me. It's unfair to everyone." He replies carefully.

“Yeah, I understand why you wanna go back as soon as possible.” Jooheon says.

"Yeah it's just… it would be really nice.” Changkyun sighs, pulling himself away what Jooheon made him think. “But I should go back. It’s been too long already. And I feel like I’m starting to get used to having breakfast every morning which in my life, you probably already guessed it but, not my thing.”

“Look at the bright side, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Jooheon smiles and Changkyun can’t help but roll his eyes and laugh.

“How is that going by the way? Living with your sworn enemy?” Jooheon reaches for his coffee.

Changkyun casts his eyes down, thinking about the mandatory breakfasts and unnecessary pecks and all those attention, he shrugs slowly. “It’s not that bad. I mean, not bad like I thought it would. It's just he is too soft you know? I'm not used to seeing someone who wears Kihyun's face acting all cutely. I say something and he's like _whatever you want my prince_ , put up some fight dude.”

"I think that's another bright side.” Jooheon smiles a little more to encourage Changkyun maybe but it doesn’t work because Changkyun feels even more stuffy.

“Nooooo…” Changkyun shakes his head. “It’s not good hyung.”

“Why is that?” Jooheon tilts his head.

“Because I can’t afford to go soft with him.” Changkyun explains. “He is good and all lovey-dovey in this life but what about my own life? You don’t know how he is there hyung. He is like devil-incarnate back there. What happens if I go soft here and when I’m back to my life, I get disappointed because he’ll be like _get out of my face or I’ll kick you?_ ”

Jooheon swallows a sip down with a cough. “Is he that bad?” he asks, clearly unbelieving.

Changkyun nods.

“You really have no chance to… I don’t know talk with him? Get along with him?” Jooheon suggests naively. “Because they are similar you know. I mean, probably since they have common things.”

It’s reasonable though, for him to think Changkyun can get along with that guy. The Kihyun in this life, the Kihyun Jooheon knows, is kind, sweet, gentle, seems like he is loved by everyone. The Kihyun that Changkyun knows is cold, teasing, always out there to get you, annoying.

Changkyun shakes his head with a frown. “He is impossible to get along with, believe me.”

“How is he like?” Jooheon asks curiously and Changkyun pouts.

“We know each other since high school. He was the head of the school discipline committee. And I moved here from america, you can say I was the new kid in the block with zero knowledge about what are the common rules of a Korean school so he scolded me at the very first day because I was supposed to wear a tie on my shirt and button it up until my neck.”

“That happened here too.” Jooheon says excitedly and continues when Changkyun lifts his eyebrow curiously. “I mean that’s how you two met.”

“Oh then how did it happen? How did we start to get along?” Changkyun asks with a huge curiosity.

“A year later you came I think?” Jooheon looks up like he is trying to remember something. “One day you guys were at each other’s throats and the other day you weren’t.”

“What?” Changkyun is surprised. “All of a sudden?”

“Yeap, all of a sudden.” Jooheon nods.

“No glares, no spitting knives with words after that?” Changkyun asks unbelieving.

“Nope.” Jooheon nods again.

“Do you know what happened?”

“I don’t know. You just said, he is not that bad.” Jooheon shrugs.

Changkyun slumps back with a huge frustration. He wants to know how their story changed, what was their turning point, what made this Changkyun think that Kihyun’s not a bad person. He thought Jooheon would know but apparently Changkyun didn’t tell him for some reason.

Changkyun tries to swallow his disappointment with his hot cocoa but it’s very cold, Changkyun must have forgot to drink it while they were talking so he asks another one from the waitress.

“How did it go with your version?” Jooheon asks, taking a sip from his coffee.

Changkyun just shrugs, grabbing the new hot cocoa. Again, too hot to drink.

“One year later? I told him to fuck off for the nth time and got detention for an hour for the nth time I guess.”

“I wonder what happened.” Jooheon purses his lips.

“I wonder that too.” Changkyun nods slowly. “And this leads back to the beginning of our conversation. I’m not _his_ _Changkyun_. I can’t act like _his Changkyun_. I will get caught. I should go back as soon as possible.” Changkyun says, bitter for some reason.

“Yes you are not. You don't wanna be in his place.” Jooheon nods, taking a sip from his coffee. “And that answers another question of mine.” He murmurs to himself.

“What question?” Changkyun asks, confused.

“Nothing.” Jooheon shrugs casually, takes another sip from his coffee but it’s obvious that he is still curious about whatever he was planning to ask.

“Come on, tell me.” Changkyun pushes.

“I was wondering…”

“Hmm?” Changkyun looks at him, holds the mug in his hand, feeling the hotness on his fingertips. It’s nice.

Jooheon shrugs with a pout. “You two didn’t… you two…” He makes a suggestive gesture. “ _You know?_ ”

“We two… what?” Changkyun purses his lips, can’t understand what he is trying to say.

Jooheon looks at him for a moment and then he shrugs. “You didn’t sleep with him.”

Changkyun’s hands shake with shock when he hears the other one. His head jerks up, and he looks completely horrified.

“Shit... What? NO!” He jolts in surprise, spilling some of the hot cocoa on his left hand and shakes his hand to ease the immediate pain. “Fuck!” He says and grabs the tissue Jooheon quickly passes to him.

“Omg I’m sorry Kyun! I mean the other world Kyun! I’m sorry owKyun!” Jooheon says with a really sorry expression, trying to blow on the burned area and feels guilty as he does that.

“It’s okay!” Changkyun tries to calm him down and wipes the cocoa but his skin turns a little pink. He huffs, closing his eyes for a moment.

“Sorry for surprising you. Obviously you didn’t do something like _that_.” Jooheon says, pouting.

“Why did you ask something like _that_?” Changkyun looks up, wide-eyed, surprised. He really wants to know why Jooheon wondered about this topic.

“I mean I don’t know.” Jooheon says, obvious that he feels weird.

“What made you think that?” Changkyun asks, thinking about the pecks Kihyun often places on his cheeks and flushes red. Things beyond that? He can’t even imagine.

“It’s not because there is something. It’s just…” Jooheon shrugs. “It’s been three days since you are here.”

“So?” Changkyun makes a face, ignoring the throbbing sense on his hand. “So what if I’m here for three days?”

“I don’t know how to explain this to you but... Those two are always at it.” Jooheon blurts out and well… Changkyun feels a throb on somewhere.

“What?” Changkyun gapes.

“Those two are like bunnies owKyun. Even in public, they barely keep their hands to each other. You don’t know but I’m really thankful that they’re married and Changkyun moved out of my apartment so I don’t have to witness some of the things I really wish to unwitness.” Jooheon says, face grimacing like he remembers horrible things.

Changkyun’s face flares up as he thinks about those _horrible things_ as he pushes his mug away. He doesn’t think he can drink anything hot right now.

“What does that have to do with me?” Changkyun frowns.

“You are his husband.” Jooheon replies like it’s the most obvious reply.

Changkyun scoffs, rolling his eyes. “He is not really my husband though.”

“But he doesn’t know that, does he?” Jooheon points and Changkyun slumps on his chair.

“You are right.” He answers, defeated.

“So what if he… wants to… you know…” Jooheon seems like he finds it hard to phrase. “Do _stuff_ with you?”

“Do you think he will wanna do _stuff_?” Changkyun replies, frowns.

Jooheon shrugs. “I mean… probably?”

“What am I gonna do then? I can’t just do _stuff_ with him.” Changkyun huffs. “I’m not his husband, not the real one. It’s basically cheating, right?” He looks at Jooheon for confirmation but he seems lost like he is.

“I don’t know. Does it count as cheating? I mean you are Changkyun even though you are not.” Jooheon shrugs, confused.

“Okay that’s true but like you said, I’m not really Changkyun am I? I’m just keeping his seat warm until he comes back to sit.” Changkyun replies. “Honestly I have no idea what I should do or not. Heck, I really have no idea. I’m just doing my best to keep everything intact until I’m back in my own life.”

“Things are a bit tricky.”

“Yes.”

“Then it’s best for you to try avoiding if you see things leading there.” Jooheon suggests.

Changkyun nods. “I agree.”

<-.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.->

Even though Changkyun decided to do his best, it’s really hard to avoid Kihyun. Not even when Changkyun comes home really late until waiting hours at park for the flower lady, ignoring or half replying Kihyun’s messages and hoping that he is already asleep when he is back.

“Oh you’re back!” Kihyun chimes and comes to greet Changkyun. He is wearing light orange pajamas, his hair is messy, he looks soft. Damn it.

“Hey.” Changkyun greets him back, trying to push the soft feeling that blossoms when he sees Kihyun stayed up and waited for him.

“What did doctor say?” Kihyun moves around with Changkyun as he takes off his shoes and grabs his coat to hang. Changkyun let’s him.

“It’s temporary. Everything will be back soon.” Changkyun replies, trying to be vague as much as he can. “So you don’t need to worry.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re not hiding anything right?”

“Why do you think that I hide something from you? What is this, a movie? Do we film something?" Changkyun scoffs.

“Not today… unless you want?” Kihyun smirks and Changkyun blushes, taken aback.

Are they into _that kinda stuff?_

Is he into _that kind of stuff?_

“You’re stupid.” Changkyun shakes his head, trying to laugh off his embarrassment.

“Yet you love me.” Kihyun says, pursing his lips.

“I wonder how that happened.” Changkyun says, serious than he intends.

Kihyun grabs his hands softly with a playful look. “I can remind you how. I’m good at reminding.” He suggests and then casts his hands down to their hands and to Changkyun’s face again. “Your hands are freezing silly. Why didn’t you ask for me to come and pick you up?” He asks with a hurt face and rubs his fingers on Changkyun’s hands with intention to warm them up. Long forgetting that his skin is a bit sensitive due to unintentional cocoa spill, Changkyun frees his hand back immediately with a _hiss_ when Kihyun touches the freshly burned part.

“It’s just… I spilled some cocoa on my hand and it hurts a bit when you touch it.” Changkyun quickly explains when he sees the hurt and surprised expression on Kihyun’s face.

“What happened?” Kihyun asks, worried and carefully this time he grabs Changkyun’s hand, examining the skin.

“It’s nothing, really. I was careless.” Changkyun says.

“It must have hurt though, since you pulled your hand back like that.” Kihyun says with a pout. “I’m really not gonna let you out of my sight again. Something always happens when I turn away.” He sighs. “Even for a second, I look away and you get hurt.”

“You are exaggerating.” Changkyun rolls his eyes.

“I’m gonna put some ointment on it.” Kihyun says, completely ignoring.

Changkyun rolls his eyes again but secretly starts to like the way Kihyun dots on him.

Which is something he really can’t afford to do.

So he mutters about changing his clothes to run away, grabs his pajamas and locks himself in bathroom. Then he remembers the lock is broken and it’s very useless for him to do that so he stays there as long as he can, without making it seem like a weird amount of time, he goes back inside the living room.

“Come here.” Kihyun instructs him and Changkyun obligates, moving to couch, seeing bandages and pills on the coffee table.

Kihyun carefully puts some ointment to the skin and rubs it softly, blowing on the area to prevent it hurt much.

Changkyun watches him silently, watches him with little stings in his stomach. Welcomed and unwelcomed. Nice and not nice.

“Wanna eat something?” Kihyun asks after he is done.

Changkyun stays silent, trying to drown the butterflies in his stomach and then shakes his head. “It’s late, I’ll gain weight if I eat now.” He replies.

Kihyun pinches his cheek adoring. “It’s okay if you gain weight. I love you anyway.”

Changkyun feels his lips twitch.

_Stop doing that, Kihyun._

“And we can burn those calories easily.” Kihyun says casually with a shrug. “I know a lot of positions that’ll help.”

Caught off guard, again, Changkyun stares at him for a while with his mouth open. He tries to mumble a reply that dies in his gasps.

“I like it when you blush.” Kihyun places a peck on Changkyun’s cheek, coyly.

_You asshole._

“I would consider your offer if I wasn’t so tired.” Changkyun replies, ignoring the hotness on his face. “But I’ll keep it in mind. For rainy days.”

“You don’t have to save it for rainy days.” Kihyun smirks, leans closer to whisper. “It’s an open offer. You can evaluate it anytime you want and we can put it in motion right away. As much as you want.”

Changkyun laughs, flustered and more red than a moment before.

“Let’s get you to bed.” Kihyun decides to have mercy on him yet he places another peck on his burning cheeks and gets up, leading them to their bed. Changkyun throws himself on it and gets under the duvet, knowing he will fall asleep very easy as he relishes in the softness of the pillow. Maybe he is familiar now, maybe because of some other reason, sleeping next to Kihyun does bother him less this time.

The next day is friday, the day Changkyun really looked forward to because he’s gonna be on lunch with his parents. He meets up with his mom and dad in an old-fashioned classy restaurant. Apparently it’s their regular place, they are here at every friday because waiters know them. Kihyun joins the trio twenty minutes later, he explains a last-minute phone call hold him off. They order their meals, eat, talk, joke, laugh a lot. It’s perfect. Changkyun carves every second to his mind, hoping to remember when he’s back in his own life.

He hugs his dad really tight, promising to see him next friday before parting ways. And in that moment he realizes, it’s something Changkyun really hopes but also not. He realizes that he is starting to feel torn about his situation.

“Wanna go to the studio?” Kihyun asks after they send Changkyun’s parents off but Chankyun declines, saying he is gonna meet with Jooheon to do something. And he goes back to the park, searching for the flower lady, four-leaf clover, anything that can help him because he needs to get out of here as soon as possible.

He finds nothing.

Including weekend, four days go just as the same because Kihyun works even on weekend since it’s Christmas week. Days repeats the same routine. Changkyun gets breakfast with Kihyun, sends him off and then goes to the park, searching for that flower lady for hours, come back home empty handed, freezing, trying to avoid Kihyun’s questions and goes to bed without eating much.

On the first day he feels hopeful. He walks around, asking people if they saw any flower lady.

Second day he feels his hope falter a little. But he keeps on going.

Third day he cries, frustration hits him.

On the fourth day he stays there longer than previous days. It’s dark already and probably close to midnight but Changkyun still sits on the bench, eyes unfocused, very aware that he is shaking. His whole body is shivering but he feels hot. It’s not hard to guess that the cold is effecting him. He’s been coughing since the morning, he knew he was getting sick so he took a few pastilles, hoping it will help but he knows it didn’t work, he can feel it didn’t. He knows he should get up, go back home but the word ' _home_ ' hurts when he thinks about it because where is home? He’s doing this so he can go back to _his home_ so he doesn’t want to stop, he doesn’t want to give up and stubbornly sits there.

Not realizing he drifted off to sleep, he wakes up when someone shakes his shoulders a little harsh and cracks his eyes open barely with the maximum effort he can give.

“Shit, Kyun!” He hears someone gasp and touch his face rapidly. Changkyun can’t feel the fingers at first, he just feels something touch on his cheeks, forehead, neck. The warmth follows a few seconds later.

“Yoo… what are y-you doing he-here?” Changkyun mutters, just loudly enough to be heard.

“I came to pick you up. Jooheon told me that you were gonna meet a client and you could be here.” Kihyun takes off the scarf around his neck and wraps around on Changkyun’s, before he tries to get him on his feet. “I hate you for being so workaholic. God, look at you.” Kihyun sighs. “Let’s get up okay? Get up baby.” He says, rubbing his hands on Changkyun’s arms to probably warm him up and urge him to stand up by himself.

Changkyun doesn’t want to get up. Cold effects his capability of having a normal thought more than it should. Somewhere past his common sense, Changkyun thinks if he gets up he can’t ever go back home. He fears of not wanting to go back home.

Kihyun pulls him again. “Come on Kyun. You are burning up. Let’s go home. Don’t you wanna go home?”

Feeling his brain mushy but very aware of the hurt in his chest, Changkyun’s lips tremble. “I wanna go home.” He feels tears falling down on his face and feels Kihyun wiping them away gently. It’s stupid but Changkyun wants to go home, wherever it is.

“I’m gonna take you home.” Kihyun says softly, like he is talking to a wounded animal. Something in his voice seeps in Changkyun’s cracked heart and touch softly in it. He feels unable to resist anymore, not when he feels so weak both physically and mentally, Changkyun allows Kihyun to drag him up, heave him to his feet. Changkyun sways back and forth, but Kihyun locks an arm around his torso before he can fall. He still pitches forward, tucking his forehead into the bend of Kihyun’s neck. It’s nice, the scent coming from the other one. Relaxing somehow. And Changkyun just falls into it, letting Kihyun pull him anywhere. After that, the way back home is very blurry, he does slip in and out until he opens his eyes in their bed, in his soft pajamas with a damp cloth on his forehead. He tries to say something but his breath hitch and he slumps in a nasty coughing fit, his whole body convulsing.

A few seconds later Kihyun is next to him, rubbing Changkyun's damped chest through coughs. He drawls once Changkyun has settled down. Changkyun's grimacing in pain and touching his chest.

“Are you okay?” Kihyun asks, worried.

“No.” Changkyun replies and honestly, it’s not just an answer to Kihyun’s question.

Kihyun takes the cloth, throwing it in the bowl next to bed and reaches for pill bottles on the drawer, drops a few into his palm and brings it to Changkyun’s mouth. With shaking hands, Changkyun grabs Kihyun’s hand and takes the pills and manages to swallow them on his second attempt, washing it down with the water before collapsing back on the bed, suddenly freezing cold. Because of the water, probably. The water had been cold, then he’d drank some of it, and now he’s cold. He grabs for his blanket and brings it up to his shoulders but it’s not nearly enough. “Cold in here,” he mumbles, trying to warm himself.

“You’ve got a fever,” Kihyun tells him, and there’s something to his voice, something that Changkyun could probably decipher if he wasn’t in the process of dying. “Meds will kick in half an hour.” Kihyun adds, grabbing the now wet cloth and squeeze it before he places it on Changkyun’s forehead again.

“Cold,” Changkyun simply repeats, his eyes falling shut because he doesn’t have the energy to keep them open anymore and he’s just so, so tired. More tired than he thinks he’s ever been in his life.

“You should have just come back home if the client didn’t show up. How can you just wait there in this weather?“ Kihyun moves the cloth on Changkyun’s forehead slowly.

“Sorry.” Changkyun breathes out, feeling bad for him. Anyone in his shoes, would be pissed off. Changkyun would be pissed off to himself.

“You worried me a lot Changkyun. I’m not used to you acting like this. You didn’t tell me about this client and you ignored me most of the day. You barely answered my messages and didn’t pick up when I called you. You are already not well, why don’t you act a bit more careful?”

“Sorry.” Changkyun repeats, that’s all he can afford.

“I was really worried Changkyun. You were sleeping on a bench, all defenseless. What if someone else would find you there? What if someone robbed you? Kidnapped you? There are a lot of bad people in this world, they are not just in dramas and movies.” Kihyun scolds him.

Apart from the worried part Changkyun realizes, this Kihyun feels like Changkyun’s Kihyun somehow. The nagging and scolding. Of course this one is softer with words but still Changkyun reminds _his Kihyun._ Once Changkyun was running and didn’t see a bump and fell in PE, Kihyun piggy-back carried younger to the nurse room and scolded him for not being careful enough for an hour. A warm feeling covers his chest when Changkyun remembers the blush on Kihyun's face due to all that running he did to nurse room and funny enough, he misses the guy. Seeing this Kihyun annoyed reminds him his Kihyun. Changkyun lets out something like a giggle when he realizes that because why the fuck does he miss him? Thankfully the grumbling in his chest presses the voice down.

“You’re laughing? You are laughing?” Kihyun looks at him with wide eyes. “Oh God I spoiled you a lot. I really spoiled you. You are lucky that I love you so much or else I would just let you freeze there.”

“Why do you love me so much?” Changkyun asks all of a sudden, his face wearing a serious expression.

“Because you are my whole world.” Kihyun replies without wasting a second, like Changkyun asked the easiest question in the world.

Changkyun can already feel a blush pinking the tips of his ears and it’s not caused by his fever, he knows it.

“No…” He shakes his head once and stops because everything spins. “You don’t.”

Kihyun looks at him confused.

“You hate me.” Changkyun breathes out.

Kihyun looks at him with a frown. “I could never hate you.”

“You do.” Changkyun insists. “In another life, you do.”

Kihyun bites his bottom lip, thinking. “Then I must be faking it.”

“You think so?” Changkyun asks, surprised by the hint of an emotion, something he can only identify as hope, in his own voice.

“Yes.” Kihyun’s expression softens.

"Could we have _this?_ " Changkyun asks, voice coming out in whisper.

Kihyun looks at him with a smile on his face.

“Now go to sleep.” He reaches, carding Changkyun’s hair slowly. “I’ll be here when you wake up. And I’m definitely gonna scold you more.”

Changkyun smiles as he closes his burning eyes, his head hurting less with every gentle touch and he finds comforts in the words he just heard, knowing that although it’s wrong to feel that he feels relieved to hear that Kihyun will be there when he’s awake.

He dreams of high school and PE. He falls again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading^^
> 
> I hope you liked it~~ Tell me what you think^^


	4. Getting Out Of The Clover Universe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooooo there!!!  
> One last chapter before this story ends or maybe I will add another and then it'll end I don't know but I just want to say thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts with me!!  
> I hope you will like this chapter as well~~  
> have fun!!
> 
> p.s: sorry for the grammars I'll check them later muah

He hears metal clattering and Changkyun peels his eyes open with a massive force, wakes up a little disoriented. The sun is peaking through curtains softly, his head is throbbing and his muscles are aching yet he tries to pull himself up by his arms. He sits a little with a hurting throat.

Great.

He’s sick. That’s exactly what he needed right now.

Changkyun remembers that he was in the park, waiting and searching for the flower lady to see if he can convince her to send him back. He remembers staying there for a long time enough to almost lose the feeling of his limbs due to cold and Kihyun came to pick him up.

Kihyun. Right, he found him.

Changkyun leans his head to the pillows he straightened and sighs. He failed. He couldn’t get back to his life so he’s with this Kihyun who’s very upset with him right now. How will Changkyun meddle with him? What is he gonna use as an alibi for him to stay very late at a park until the dead of the night?

Yet, he fainty remembers bits from their little conversation and Kihyun mentioning about Jooheon and some client. His hyung must have lied to Kihyun about Changkyun meeting with a client to save his ass. Changkyun sighs again because he needs to continue with that story, he gotta lie more and he is so tired of lying. He is so tired of pretending, he is so tired of acting like someone he is not, he is so tired of trying to be nice all the time without knowing when this will end. He’s exhausted, both mentally and physically, beyond he can express. He feels alone with no one to lean on. He has Jooheon but even Jooheon has some walls around him and Changkyun knows he’s not _his hyung_ so he is not exactly very comfortable with him too. Changkyun knows he is lucky and he prays for his luck for the support _this Jooheon_ is showing him but he knows the elder probably wants _his own friend_ back just like how Changkyun wants _his hyung_ back. Like they talked before, this life is really good, it’s like a dream universe but none of it is Changkyun’s. He didn’t build any of it by his own hands so it doesn’t feel like they do belong to him. Not Jooheon, not his work, not his parents and definitely not Kihyun. He didn’t build this relationship with Kihyun so he feels out of place every time when the other one makes a sweet gesture. But truth to be told even though it’s unfamiliar, Changkyun not completely hates it. Being loved by someone, getting this much affection and attention from someone is really… nice. Changkyun knows this is not how they are really but now he also knows that in some corner of the universe, they can get along, and that makes him think that maybe he can try to do that in his universe. If he can go back to his life one day of course.

His life, his own life isn’t perfect but at least it’s his life. He did it all. He can say it proudly. He can claim his rights and wrongs. He doesn’t have to pretend.

But in here, Changkyun has to pretend.

And Changkyun is so tired.

He just wants to go back.

“You’re awake?” He hears and snaps his head towards the voice, breaking his chain of thoughts. Kihyun is standing by the door with a glass in his hand, dressed in fluffy blue pajamas.

“Morning.” Changkyun bites his lips to swallow his tears and forces a smile.

“It’s almost noon actually.” Kihyun replies and rushes next to him, putting the cup in his hand on the desk next to bed. “How do you feel?” He asks, eyes searching Changkyun’s face for any discomfort and Changkyun sighs, feeling his heart thump in his chest.

“I feel dizzy.” Changkyun replies, looking down.

Kihyun nods, putting his hand to Changkyun’s forehead. “You still have fever. You should get some rest.” He says with a frown. “I’m really angry at you, you know. It’s Christmas. I had big plans for us. I made a reservation at the Italian restaurant you love so much and I was going to take you to watch fireworks but you decided to go get sick because of some client who didn't show up. I really have no words Kyun. What if you’d get more sick? What if something happened to you? Do you know how afraid I was after I saw you on that cold bench? You should have told me Changkyun. I’m really—“

“Hey…” Changkyun stops him, he can’t just deal with scolding. “I’m sick. Go easy on me.” He pleads softly and it works after a few moment of him giving puppy eyes, Kihyun huffs and nods. “I’m gonna let you slide with it for this once.” He says and shakes his finger to Changkyun. “And we will talk about this later.”

“Okay.” Changkyun accepts, feeling relieved because his head starts to hurt more.

“Here, take this.” Kihyun says and grabs the cup he put on the desk, offering it to Changkyun who accepts it with gratitude.

It’s mint tea, oozes a very relaxing scent and helps with the throbbing in Changkyun’s chest.

They sit silently for a while until Kihyun says, “I’m gonna ask you something.” as he leans on his arm and watches Changkyun taking sips from tea. “You talked about something.” He says. “Before you fell back to sleep.”

Changkyun blinks his eyes slowly. His eyelids really feel heavy. “Like… what?” He asks, drinking a mouthful from the cup.

“You said that in another world I hate you.” Kihyun replies.

A shiver runs down from Changkyun’s spine. The cup stays still in his hands, eyes go wide with surprise. He lowers the cup down to press it on his lap, or else his hands will start to tremble.. “I—I ugh… I saw a bad dream I guess.” He says, trying to sound convincing as much as he can.

“I think so too.” Kihyun agrees. “But why would you see a dream like that? I mean a world where I hate you? You really think that’s possible?”

Changkyun wants to laugh but he stops himself. “It’s just a silly dream.” He says. “Obviously.”

“It is silly, I agree on you that but…” He shrugs. “I’m curious. Tell me about it.”

Changkyun swallows hardly. He has no idea what to say. “It’s really not that big of a deal. Seriously.” He says after blankly looking at Kihyun for a few seconds.

“Come onnnn. I wanna know.” Kihyun insists and looks at him expectedly so eventually Changkyun gives up, knowing that there is no way out of this because this is Kihyun who is stubborn in every universe, he decides to tell him. Just a little bit of it, in a way he can tell.

“Well…” Changkyun clears his throat. Damn it hurts. “Let’s just say it was a bad dream and we weren’t getting along well. Or more like, we’re not getting along at all and you don’t even want to spend christmas day with me let alone any other special day but somehow we’re always glued to each other.”

“Huh.” Kihyun purses his lips with a thoughtful look. “That reminded me of high school.” He chuckles all of a sudden.

Changkyun lifts an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s just…” Kihyun shrugs and rolls his eyes amusingly. “You know.”

Shit, Changkyun thinks because he doesn’t know. He doesn’t know what Kihyun is talking about. It must be one of those things they didn’t share in his world so he should definitely learn. This knowledge can help him somehow.

“Care to elaborate a little? It’s a bit fuzzy in here.” Changkyun points his head with a smile, hoping to convince Kihyun. He knows his amnesia trick is probably wearing out but hey, he gotta try.

Kihyun pouts cutely, hands coming up to pet Changkyun’s hair softly. He seems completely soft and Changkyun feels his stomach swirl.

Damn it.

“Remember when we couldn’t get along when you first moved here?” Kihyun asks.

Changkyun slowly nods and mentally adds _‘We still don’t get along but whatever.’_

Kihyun continues. “During that time, I mean when you moved here, things were a bit hard for me. I had so much pressure on my shoulder. I was working a lot for my grades because I had to be the perfect student. I had to be the perfect friend. I had to be the perfect son. I had to be the perfect person.”

“You were.” Changkyun comments. He would rather die than admit it but it’s true that Kihyun was the golden boy during their high school times. And university times. And yes, at company times.

“Thank you baby.” Kihyun smiles. “But it was really hard to manage all that because things at home weren’t great. My family was falling apart Kyun. My dad and mom were always having a fight. It was so awful you know? Hearing your parents yell at each other, call names. Really traumatic.”

“I can’t imagine.” Changkyun says, surprised by the things he hears.

“They couldn’t even sit together during a simple dinner. I’d hate to go home, even on special days like Christmas.” Kihyun says, expression souring a little.

“That’s awful.” Changkyun says sympathetically and reaches to hold Kihyun’s hand. Kihyun smiles at him and the expression on his face hurts Changkyun a little. He’s still hurting because of this, that’s obvious. Changkyun can’t put himself in his shoes because his parents were always loving to each other. Of course they had their fights like every couple but Changkyun doesn’t remember anything big enough to imprint in his memory. Just regular couple fights a few now and then. Not like Kihyun’s family apparently. Changkyun remembers suddenly, his mutual friends sometimes mentioned Kihyun’s parents but he didn’t understand what they meant back then. He didn’t believe when one of them said they heard them shouting at night and they were constantly fighting but Changkyun didn’t think that could be the reason for Kihyun to be moody all the time. He was thinking that the guy was just an asshole as he’s. But obviously that wasn’t the reason.

Being in a chaotic household hurts anyone and effects kids a lot. And Kihyun was just a kid. It must have been hard for him, Changkyun thinks. Now the memories of Kihyun in cafeteria, staring at his lunch, untouched, with an empty look rush to his mind. Sometimes when they were studying in the library for their joint project, he’d read the same page over and over again and Changkyun didn’t understand why he’d do that because normally he’s a very clever person so he’d just tease him for doing that, mocking with him, saying that he’s an idiot. Kihyun would get offended, get competitive more. Changkyun could see the flame flicker in Kihyun’s eyes and that would fuel him too.

“Yeah it was awful.” Kihyun presses his lips together. “That’s why I was giving you detention, even for the smallest things I guess. Having you around kind of relaxed me. We were constantly bickering but it was… nice. It was taking my mind away from home.”

Changkyun stunned with the words he is hearing, lifts his eyebrow. “You liked spending time with me?” He asks in shock.

Kihyun nods slowly, blushes. “Of course. You were smart. You were a really pain in the ass back then but you were fun too. I liked teasing you, getting on your nerves. I was just a silly kid Kyun.” He laughs softly.

“Oh.” Changkyun says, not knowing what he can say. “So that's why you were giving me detention even on special days? Because you didn’t want to go home or be alone?” Changkyun asks and he can’t believe when Kihyun replies with “Yes.”

Changkyun really can’t comprehend. His mind doesn’t cooperate with him to understand what Kihyun is saying. _‘That was the reason?’_ He thinks in shock. It sounds simple. Really simple. Kihyun was putting Changkyun in detention all the time, even during special days because he didn’t want to go home and be alone.

“I know it sounds stupid but I couldn’t go to my friends because I had to tell them what happened and I couldn’t go to any of my relatives so I don’t know… I came up with this idea.” Kihyun shrugs shyly.

“Unbelievable.” Changkyun mutters. He doesn’t know how many valentines day, christmas eve and birthdays he spent with the guy. But now he understands why he was doing what he was doing and why he chose Changkyun. Simply because he didn’t want to go home and preferred to be with someone who wouldn’t ask him any questions.

“I’m glad they made up though, my parents I mean.” Kihyun says with a frown. “They were going to divorce on my birthday like they couldn’t find any other day to do it. Oh God, thinking about it still gives me shivers.”

Changkyun looks up at him, not knowing what to do with the informations he learned. Can all these could be the reason why they can’t get along in his world? His Kihyun went through the same thing with this one?

“Why didn’t you just simply say that you wanted to be friends?” Changkyun asks.

Kihyun purses his lips. “I did. That’s how we became friends remember?” He says. “My parents sent a cake for me to celebrate my birthday at school, I guess it was a way for them to say sorry for all the things that happened. You saw that and you wished me a happy birthday and then I thanked you and said I was sorry for being an asshole.”

Kihyun wanted to be friends with him?

Changkyun can’t believe what he hears and quickly he searches his memory. He doesn’t remember any birthday celebration. He doesn’t remember any cake.

“You okay?” Kihyun asks, slightly worried and Changkyun shakes his head. "That dream must have shook you a lot, you look pale... Apart from having a cold-paleness."

“Like I said, it’s a stupid dream. Don’t dwell on it too much.” Changkyun says and finishes his cup. “Can I get another one? This one is really good.” He says and Kihyun nods, he gets up to get some more.

Changkyun texts Jooheon immediately after Kihyun leaves the room. He waits for an answer but gets impatient and calls Jooheon. He doesn’t pick up so Changkyun calls again.

“Hyung why don’t you answer my text or pick up?” Changkyun asks quietly when the other one finally answers.

After a pause, Jooheon replies. “I was in shower man. What happened?”

“When is Kihyun’s birthday?”

“Hm?” Jooheon asks, Changkyun can imagine his confused face. “Why?”

“Just tell me when.” Changkyun insists, checking the door.

“November 22nd.” Jooheon says.

“November 22nd?” Changkyun repeats, grasping the phone with both his hands.

“Yes, November 22nd.” Jooheon repeats too.

“Are you sure?” Changkyun asks.

“Of course I am! You- the other Kyun just gifted him a huge ass expensive camera this year with balloons and stuff, how can I forget that day, it’s still in my nightmares...” Jooheon says. “What happened though? Why are you asking his birthday all of a sudden?”

Changkyun swallows slowly. “Nothing.” He replies. “I’ll call you later hyung, you go back to whatever you do.” He says and before waiting for Jooheon to reply, he hangs up the phone.

Changkyun looks at the wall across him blankly but the wheels in his head spins so fast, he can hear them working. That day…

“Here you go.” Kihyun comes back in with a refilled cup and gives it to Changkyun who accepts it with a quick smile and thank you.

“Can you…” Changkyun takes a sip, damn it’s hot. “I’m really craving for some burgers. Can you get me one from our burger spot?” He asks as sweetly as he can.

“I made a soup—“

“I’ll drink that too I promise but I really wanna eat that burger.” Changkyun pouts. “Please.” He bats his eyelashes, he hopes he looks sweet. “Pretty please.”

Kihyun looks at him and Changkyun watch his walls melt, he knows Kihyun can’t say no to him so he internally throws a parade when the guy nods. “Okay, I’ll be back in thirty minutes.”

Kihyun changes his clothes and goes out in a really quick time and it kinda hurts Changkyun to know that he’s lying to him because after five minutes, Changkyun throws the duvet away and changes into warm clothes and goes outside. He finds a taxi and goes straight to the park he’s been walking for days.

It’s crowded. There are red and white slogans around, the cafes and bars are alive. People rush to left and right. Just like the day he came here.

Changkyun goes to find bench. Honestly he doesn’t know what he is gonna do or what he should do but to wait so he looks around. Searching for the lady.

He may find her or he may not find her but something in him tells Changkyun that he should wait. Because he knows now. He thinks he knows.

“I know now.” Changkyun says with a little high tone to the air, like he is trying to make his voice reach to someone. “Can you come here? I just want to talk with you.” He says, looking around. He probably looks stupid because he sees people who pass by throw him weird looks but honestly he doesn’t care what is what at this point.

“I think I understand. I’ve figured it out.” He says again and waits impatiently.

“You have?” Changkyun hears someone talk and turns around, meeting the flower lady’s fond expression.

He stuns for a second after seeing her across him before he swallows and nods. The lady looks at him, she moves her head and her eyes search something on Changkyun. She takes a step closer, grabbing Changkyun’s hands and opens his palms. “I don’t see the clover.” She points out.

“I can’t find it.” Changkyun says.

“Oh.” The lady says, drops his hands. “But you said you’ve figured it out.”

“I did.” Changkyun replies, swallows again. His mouth is so dry damn it. “I mean I guess I did. I’m not too sure.”

The lady chuckles. “What do you mean?”

“When you told me to wish my wish…” Changkyun breathes in, he bites his bottom lip. “I—I wished to find love right?”

“You’re asking me what you wished?” The lady looks at him with a really fake shock.

Changkyun tries really hard not to roll his eyes. “It was a rhetoric question. Anyway…” He looks at her. “You said something. You said what if I already found my love and I said I would know if I did. Now I remember that because I forgot about that part of the conversation after I woke up to this mess. I was thinking that I should find clover to go back to my own world because you told me I need that clover to go back but I can’t find it. I can’t just find that thing. Because… what I wanted to find… was love.” Changkyun let’s out a breath. “I can’t find the clover because I’m supposed to be searching for my love, right?”

“You are not bad. Go on.” The lady says with an amused smile and that encourages Changkyun.

“I can’t find the clover because my love isn’t here. At least he’s not in this universe.” Changkyun says.

“Who are you talking about?”

“Kihyun.” Changkyun replies. “He is the one, I guess.”

“You guess?”

“I know.” Changkyun corrects himself. “I understand now. You wanted to show me what could have happened in my life if somethings were different. I understand that now. And I think I know what went wrong in my world. Regarding to him I mean.”

“Do you know?” The lady asks, clasping her hands in the front.

Changkyun nods slowly. “I was fixated on the clover so I forgot why I was in here in the first place. My wish showed me how my life could be in a perfect world, if I’d find the person in my fate. I’ve seen it now. I guess I understand what was this all about. It wasn’t about finding the clover. It was about seeing how things could have been.”

He continues. “Somethings are not in our hands. There are different variables even for the smallest thing and they can effect anyone or anything in a big way. I understand that now.” Changkyun presses his lips together. “But what happens from now on, that’s in my hands. Hopefully.”

The lady looks at him with a proud expression. “You seem like you’ve figured it out for real.” She says and puts her flower basket on the bench. “What do you want to do now?”

“I want to go back.” Changkyun replies without wasting a second.

“But I thought you wanted to find love.” The lady says.

Changkyun nods slowly. “I did.”

“Did you?”

“I didn’t.” Changkyun shakes his head. “I did find, at least I found what I could have in my own life and maybe I can still have that, I don’t know. But I know that I can’t stay here because this isn’t my life. That Kihyun… He isn’t my Kihyun. Yes he is so sweet and caring and he is great but he is not the one that I know. He’s not the one I should make up with because if the things he said also applies to the Kihyun in my world, if what they’ve gone through are the same which I believe they are the same, then I think we have a chance to fix our relationship.” Changkyun says, remembering what Kihyun told him about their high school days. “Besides I can’t just steal someone else’s husband even though they are another version of me. I’m sure that’s wrong in so many ways let alone it being a weird situation.” He frowns.

The lady lifts an eyebrow and laughs.

Changkyun lets out a breath and nods with a determined expression. “I should go back.”

The lady looks at him for a while like she is weighing him with his eyes. “Well then… If that’s what you want.” She says with a nod.

Changkyun nods too. “Yes.” He says. “Please.”

“Okay.” She says and lifts her hand but Changkyun panics, takes a few steps away.

“Wait wait! I didn’t expect you to accept what I say so easily. I wasn’t totally prepared.” He says in a hurry. “I—I gotta make a phone call.”

“A phone call?”

Changkyun nods.

“Okay.” The lady laughs and sits on the bench, grabs a handful of daisy from the basket and starts to arrange them.

Changkyun understands that it’s a cue for him to do whatever he wants so he pulls out his phone. Kihyun called him two times and messaged him about his whereabouts. He must have came back home. Changkyun should hurry up so he dials Jooheon’s number.

_“Hey, what’s up? Kihyun hyung just called me—“_

“I’m going back.”

A pause. _“You… You what?”_

“Hyung I’m going back. I found the lady, I’ve figured it out so I’m going back.”

 _“Now?”_ Jooheon exclaims.

“Yeah.”

_“Like right now?”_

“Yes. Hyung listen I don’t have time for this. I’m at the park we’ve been a few days ago, call Kihyun five minutes after we hang up and tell him where I’m. Or you can just come pick me up too. The other Changkyun I mean. I’m gonna delete our chats so don’t mention about other world to anyone okay?”

_“Okay… but why?”_

“They’ll call you crazy if someone sees it hyung, that’s why.” Changkyun laughs softly. “Hyung I just wanted to say thank you for believing in me, it was really good to have someone to talk to.”

_“It’s okay I just—I tried my best.“_

“I know hyung. Thank you so much.” Changkyun says. He means it. “Take care of yourself hyung. Goodbye.”

Jooheon huffs. _“Bye owKyun. I hope you will have a good life.”_

“You too hyung.” Changkyun smiles to the phone and hangs up. He deletes every single conversation they had with Jooheon about alternate dimensions.

He sees Kihyun calling him again but ignores. He knows if they talk, he will come running here and Changkyun can’t afford to have that. Instead he searches his contact list and presses on the number he wanted to call in the first place.

His dad picks up after the third ring.

_“Changkyun?”_

“Dad!”

 _“Hey son, how are you?”_ He sounds sleepy. He probably fall asleep while doing crossword puzzle. It pains Changkyun to think that he can’t help him anymore.

“I’m… I’m good dad. How about you?”

Changkyun hears something shuffle. _“I was napping in front of the tv.”_

“That’s good. That’s good but don’t do that dad, your back will hurt.” Changkyun lets out a breath but tears starting to brim in his eyes hurt his throat. “Listen dad… uh… I want to say something to you.”

_“Okay. There is nothing wrong, right?”_

“No, no!” Changkyun shakes his head. “It’s just… I… I love you dad.”

A moment of silence.

_“I love you too. You are my precious boy.”_

Changkyun feels something sit on his chest with a crushing pain as he mutters his next words. “I’m sorry if I ever let you down. I’m sorry.”

A sigh with a soft breathe. _“Changkyun you are a kid. And a great kid. You never let me down. Even if you do one day, it’s okay. It’s okay because you are just a kid and kids make mistakes. It’s okay. I can never stop being proud of you.”_

Changkyun feels hot tears slowly roll down to his cheeks. “Thank you dad. That… That means a lot.” He sniffs, smiling. It really means a lot.

“Say hi to mom. Have a merry christmas.” He bids his farewells and hangs up the phone.

“That was touching.” The lady comments without looking up to Changkyun, keeping herself busy with the leafs in her hand. “You are a good son.”

Changkyun looks at her for a second, wiping his tears with his sleeves. “Thank you.” He says. His phone starts to ring again.

The lady smiles fondly. “Are you ready?”

Changkyun let’s out a sigh and checks the screen and locks the phone before he nods to the lady. “I’m ready.”

The lady nods and takes a step towards him. Changkyun closes his eyes. He feels the phone buzzing as a swirl of blue light hits him, and everything goes dark.

<-.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.->

The head splitting pain. Changkyun really hates that and he hates it even more because he starts to get used to this. He is really confused for a second before it all starts coming back. He quickly decides he liked confusion better. He sighs and squeezes his eyes before he opens them and looks around him.

He’s alone. Of course he’s alone.

He should find his phone to check out if there is anything different so he looks around for it. It’s on the desk next to him; it’ll be kind of a reach. Plus he’ll have to work around the IV, gleck. Changkyun is getting used to waking up in a hospital with an IV but no matter how many times this happens, it never gets less weird that that thing is actually in his vein, seriously inside his circulatory system, that is just, that is freaky. On the other hand, he only has five leads hooking him up to his heart monitor, so despite all the stabbing chest pain he has going on, they apparently don’t think he’s in danger of cardiac arrest. Well Changkyun can beg the differ because his body aches, all of his limps are souring as he navigates his way around the IV and heart monitor leads and leans over. He doesn’t die. Excellent.

He leans to fish his phone from the desk. He grabs it but the day once again takes a turn for the weird, because he flinches when he hears “You’re awake?” from a familiar voice and pulls his hand too hard out of reflex so his IV pole follows him. It all happens in slow motion but also in fast forward because Changkyun watches the pole wobble and tilt towards him but it doesn’t fall on him because someone grabs it. Changkyun snaps his head to the person who is holding the pole with a shocked expression. Kihyun looks down at him with huge eyes, hands grabbing the IV pole. Changkyun, unable to say anything, just stares.

“Oh for God’s sake.” Kihyun sighs. “Why are you acting so careless? This is metal you idiot, what if it’d fall on you? Do you wanna have a huge scar on your head? Do you think you'll look cool or this is the new trend for summer? Because you won't and it’s not.” Kihyun scolds him and Changkyun settles back on the bed, holding his phone in his hand.

“Just wanted to get my phone.” He replies silently. “Besides, I’m sick. Go easy on me.”

“Oh why the hell should I? You wake up after a week of laying there like a jelly and the first thing you do is pulling shits like this. I can’t believe you.” Kihyun shakes his head and then he let’s out a breathe and he looks at Changkyun like he’s seeing him for the first time.

“You’re awake.” He says softly after a moment. Softer than cottons, softer than anything. He probably thinks Changkyun didn’t hear but he did.

And that catches Changkyun off guard. He stares at Kihyun who has a weird expression on his face. Like he is worried and relieved at the same time and that confuses Changkyun. His Kihyun wouldn’t look at him like this. _The other Kihyun would._ But also the other Kihyun wouldn’t talk him like this, _his Kihyun would._ Seriously it’s all a mess. Did he really come back? Or did that lady tricked him? Changkyun’s wrong? He didn’t come back to his life? He is still at the alternate dimension?

“Yoo?” Changkyun says silently, his heart is on his throat.

Kihyun looks like he is out of some trans, lifts his eyes to him and moves towards the window.

“What are you doing here?” Changkyun asks softly and looks at him with an expectation.

Kihyun lifts an eyebrow then, his expression turns cold. “Is this how you talk to the person who spends his precious christmas day with you?” He scoffs. “I mean a thank you would be nice.”

Changkyun feels his heart hurt somehow. Hearing Kihyun speak so cold upsets him and he smiles bitterly at the fact that he’s getting used to him being nice in such a short span of time in the other world.

“Sorry.” He mutters, casting his eyes down.

Kihyun’s eyebrows are pulled together for a second before a teasing expression settles on his face. “What’s wrong with you? You never say sorry, not to me at least. Am I in an alternate dimension or something?”

Changkyun looks at him, thinking about what to say. Somehow he feels loss at words so he just shrugs. “I’ve changed I guess.” He replies.

Kihyun eyes him carefully. “While you were laying here? Dreaming?” He scoffs.

“Dreams effect people you know?” Changkyun rolls his eyes. He looks down before looking at Kihyun who stares at him as he leans towards the window, his arms crossed on his chest. His shirt’s a few button is open, his tie is not around, he looks tired somehow but still he looks charming, really charming. Changkyun wonders what he is doing here for real.

“Oh you are awake Mr. Im?” A nurse comes in, approaching with a smile on her face and after seeing her Kihyun straightens up.

“I’ll be outside.”

“Are you leaving?” Changkyun asks, his heart squeezes once. He doesn’t know what to do or what to say but he knows that he doesn’t want Kihyun to go. He should ask him something. Kihyun shouldn’t go.

Kihyun shrugs without glancing at him, grabbing his jacket from the back of a chair. “I don’t know, maybe?” He says before he leaves.

Changkyun follows him with his eyes and sighs before he turns to nurse who says, “You really scared us you know? Your friend in particular.” as she checks the monitors.

“My friend?” Changkyun questions.

“That handsome one who just left.”

“Really? Why?”

Nurse shrugs, “Probably because he found you and wanted to know if you’re getting better and you didn’t get better, until now.”

Changkyun’s eyebrows hit his hairline. “He found me?”

Nurse nods, “He said he found you laying on a bench at some park, unconscious.” She says and picks up the notebook, scribbling something. “He was really terrified you know? There were others who stayed as companion but he visited you every day. You two must be really close.”

Changkyun listens her but it’s like his brain can’t process the words. Kihyun was worried? He visited him every day? He cares for Changkyun?

A small hope sparks in Changkyun’s chest. It’s really small but maybe he can –at least- repair his relationship with the guy.

“Then what happened? How long was I out? He said something about a week?” Changkyun asks. He wonders if he spent the exact time he spent in the other world.

“Yes, that’s true. You were out for a week.”

“A week?” Changkyun lifts his eyebrows. So he was guessing right, he spent the same time here and in the other world. He wonders what did other world’s Changkyun do in here? Did he know this wasn’t his world? What did he do when he learned his dad was no longer with him?

Nurse continues, cutting his chain of thoughts. “To be honest I’ve never seen such a terrible flu before. You constantly had fever for the whole week, 39 centigrade, 40 centigrade. Because of it being so high you kept slipping in and out of consciousness.”

“Oh. I wasn’t awake?” Changkyun asks.

“You weren’t unfortunately. We did all the tests to see if you have an illness but nothing was wrong and you were just sick. That’s it. It wasn’t a big deal but for some reason you didn’t wake up. Until today.” She smiles. “Thankfully.”

“So I was sleeping…” Changkyun mutters to himself.

“Well you can say that too, since you don’t remember.” Nurse replies. “It’s weird, we had another patient like you this week. Poor guy seems fine but he just doesn’t wake up. Anyway you seem okay, your vitals are normal so tomorrow you can check out. It’s sucks that you can’t leave today and gotta spend your christmas day in a hospital, I’m sure you had plans but look at the bright side you’ll have plenty of christmas days to spend now that you are fine.”

“It’s… okay.” Changkyun replies.

“Get some rest.” The nurse smiles and leaves the room.

Changkyun nods absent-mindedly even though she is already left. He was sleeping in this world because he was sick for a whole week. Is that even possible? For someone to become so sick enough to lose conciousness because of a common flu? Seems so irrational. But also travelling through dimensions are irrational too. Did he really though? Did he really traveled to another dimension or everything he went through was a fever dream? But why would he dream a dream with Kihyun in it? But on the other hand it didn’t feel like a dream, it was really real. It doesn’t make any sense. Changkyun doesn’t know. He simply doesn’t know.

And he feels slightly scared. He came back with his own will but what if it was just a dream? He thought he could at least have a good relationship with Kihyun because something happened out of their control and drove them away from one another but what if he just made this up? How can he know for sure?

“I forgot my phone.” Kihyun comes back in with a rush and grabs his phone that was on the chair next to Changkyun's bed.

Changkyun flinches then and that makes Kihyun stop.

“Are you okay? Do you have any pain?” Kihyun looks at him with kind, worried eyes. Changkyun feels the butterflies in his stomach clap their wings for once before he shakes his head slowly.

“I thought—I thought you were leaving.” Changkyun says, eyes trained on the other one as his heart flutters in his chest.

“Well… I have nowhere to go at the moment.” Kihyun replies with a shrug.

“Oh… Why?” Changkyun asks.

“Because of you.”

“Me?”

“You should take responsibility Im. I couldn’t do any plans with any of my friends because of you.” Kihyun says with an annoyed look.

“Why?” Changkyun looks at him with a confused expression. “Why didn’t you?”

Kihyun scoffs. “You fainted after having a quarrel with me. People were going to blame me if something would have happened to you. What would you expect me to do?”

“You didn’t have to come check up on me for the whole week though.” Changkyun replies.

“Who said—I didn’t—“

“Thank you.” Changkyun cuts his words. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

Kihyun stares at him for a moment before he replies “I’m not that heartless to leave a guy unconscious at some park.” With an offended expression. “Even when he hates me.”

Changkyun hates Kihyun? No that's far from the truth because now... now that he realizes he never did.

So he shakes his head, “I don’t hate you.” Changkyun replies quietly.

“What?”

Changkyun bites his bottom lip. “I don’t hate you.” He says, watching Kihyun’s expression go soft for a second before it turns to a confused one.

“Wow you must be really sick.” Kihyun says with a disbelieve. “You keep saying things you normally wouldn’t. Morphine or whatever they hooked you up with, clearly messes with your head.”

“Can you just… not be a dick for a second while I’m trying to say something?” Changkyun huffs in annoyance. It’s really unbelievable. He is in this world for what, an hour? And Kihyun manages to get on his nerves right away. Maybe he should just forget about neutralizing their relationship and just go with whatever they have but he swallows these thoughts when Kihyun bites inside his cheek and blurts out a “Sorry.”

Changkyun looks at him like he didn’t hear what he said and Kihyun rolls his eyes. “What?”

“You saying sorry?” Changkyun smirks. “Am I in an alternate dimension?”

“It’s because you said sorry and so I had to say too.” Kihyun replies, clearing his throat. “For us to be even.”

Changkyun can’t hold himself and laughs. “You are an idiot you know?”

Kihyun looks at him puzzled. “You are not different too.”

Changkyun laughs a little more too. “I guess we are both idiots.”

“Ha… I guess.” Kihyun says and Changkyun swears he sees a faint smile on his lips.

Well that’s a progress.

One that makes his stomach feel giddy even with just that.

“I’m gonna ask you something.” Changkyun says nervously.

Kihyun lifts his left eyebrow. “What?”

“Do you remember it was my second year here—“

“Why do I have to remember anything—“

“Just shut up and listen, will you?” Changkyun rolls his eyes and continues when Kihyun crosses his arms on his chest, motion him to continue. “It was my second year here and you’ve put me on detention for hours because of something so stupid and we had a really big fight. It was during autumn and the weather was really brutal, it was so cold and you had to find some blankets for us.”

Kihyun looks down for a moment, his expression falls. He gathers himself after taking a breath in and looks up again. “We’re always fighting Im.”

Changkyun shakes his head. “That one was different.”

“I don’t know, I didn’t notice.” Kihyun says, looking away.

“Do you remember the date?” Changkyun asks.

“I mean why do I have to—“

“Do you remember?”

“Why? Are you gonna scold me for it?” Kihyun lifts an eyebrow.

“Just tell me what day it was.” Changkyun insists.

Kihyun bites his lips and shifts on his legs.

“November 22nd.” He replies, looking at Changkyun but somehow he looks like he doesn’t directly look at Changkyun. Somehow he seems so lost.

Just as Changkyun tought. So he was right. In the alternate universe Kihyun’s parents didn’t divorce and Kihyun was happy celebrating his birthday and they became friends. In this universe, they didn’t do that.

Changkyun nods slowly, the pieces falling to their place one by one. “So it was your birthday.” He mutters.

“You know my birthday?” Kihyun asks, surprised like he didn’t expect Changkyun to know that.

And to be honest Changkyun didn’t know. “Until recently I didn’t.” He admits because it’s true. Now he knows.

Kihyun lifts an eyebrow, clearly he wants to ask how but the sounds outside of the window grabs his attention.

It’s dark for a moment before a brightness shows itself. Red, blue, green, gold fireworks light up the sky.

They hear the cheering coming from the halls and look each other in surprise.

The year resets itself and Changkyun realizes that he spent another special day with Kihyun again. But for the first time in years, he thinks it’s not so bad.

“Merry Christmas.” He murmurs and Kihyun looks at him with a nod.

“Merry Christmas.”

Changkyun feels something in the air change. Somehow he feels like the invisible walls are starting to melt and drip to the floor slowly.

“Kihyun I—“ Changkyun starts but a running Jooheon hits to the door with huge eyes and gets their attention to himself.

“Kyunnie!” The elder yells and with happy eyes he moves hurrily to Changkyun.

“Hyung!” Changkyun replies back as they hug and he feels something in him melts. He missed his hyung, _his hyung_ so much.

Jooheon hugs him like they haven’t seen each other for years and Changkyun hugs him so tight until Kihyun clears his throat saying, “Jooheon, he just woke up. Stop shaking him. Are you trying to give him concussion or something? He is burdensome enough, don’t do that.”

“Ah... right.” Jooheon retreats a little, sitting on the bed while Changkyun quickly moves to make a place for him.

“Are you okay?” Jooheon asks, eyes searching Changkyun’s face with a pout and Changkyun pouts too, nodding.

“I’m fine. I told you that I needed a week long sleep.” He jokes and Jooheon pouts some more, smacking his arm lightly.

“You damn idiot. Why the fuck did you go out if you weren’t feeling well? Do you know how freaked we were? You didn’t wake up and I even did sing Let It Go for you.”

Changkyun throws a look at Kihyun and sees Kihyun slowly nod with a smile.

“It was a nightmarish week Changkyun don’t just do that again.” Jooheon scolds him.

Changkyun nods slowly, accepting all the scoldings because that’s all he can do. He can’t just try to explain what he went through. He can’t say I was in an alternate dimension and things were really different back there, they’ll put him in a mental hospital.

“I’m thirsty.” Changkyun says when Jooheon stops to breathe.

“I’m having a headache I can use some water too.” Kihyun says and heads out. “I’ll get it.”

“I heard Kihyun found me.” Changkyun says when he is out of the door and Jooheon nods with a pout. “How did that happened hyung?”

“When you didn’t come back for a while I asked him to help Hyungwon hyung and me to find you. We went different ways and well, he was the one who found you.” Jooheon replies, then his eyes open wide. “You should have seen him Kyun. His face was white as a paper when medics put you into the ambulance. I’ve never seen him like that.”

“He was scared?” Changkyun asks with huge eyes.

Jooheon nods. “He was. Dead scared.”

“Oh…” Changkyun says. He takes a deep breath. “Kihyun’s parents… They are divorced right?”

Jooheon nods with a confused face. “Where did that come from all of a sudden?”

“Do you think we could be friends?” Changkyun looks up at his hyung. “If we wouldn’t just bicker all the time, do you think we could be friends?”

Jooheon purses his lips and nods again. “I think you could get along. He’s not a bad person Kyun.”

“Yeah he just hates me.” Changkyun says bitterly.

“I don’t think so—“ Jooheon starts but shuts his mouth when Kihyun comes back.

The elder gives bottles to the duo and grabs his coat. “Since Jooheon is here, I guess I should head back home.” He announces and with nothing else to say, Changkyun nods.

“Thank you Kihyun.” Changkyun adds before Kihyun goes out and he thinks he sees a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit confusing I know but hopefully I managed to tell it right.  
> In case if you forget Changkyun mentioned that day before on the first chapter:)  
> Did you expect things to turn out this way?  
> Do you like the chapter?  
> Do you agree with Changkyun's choice?  
> Please tell me what do you think^^


	5. Facing The Reality At Earth 616

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello and hello!!  
> I'm back with another chapter.  
> I know this was supposed to be the last chapter but I think I will add one more, seems like the story needs that.  
> I was thinking how the story should go, I know how I wanted it to end but when I started to write this chapter I couldn't just get to the 'end' to finish the story. I wrote 10k this time and I still couldn't get to the place I wanted to because the relationship between this Kihyun and Changkyun is hard to work with. I gave three and a half chapter to another world and I realized it's impossible to fix everything in this chapter alone because it would seem so rushed. The dynamics between this Kihyun and Changkyun can't just magically change. You can't just walk up to someone you hated for a long time and say hey let's make up and have a better relationship with them, it takes time and effort so I tried to give Changkyun a space to do that. And I'm sure you'll agree with me when you'll read the chapter, the boy works reeeeeeally hard.
> 
> Anyway I hope you'll like this chapter, thank you so much for the support you are showing to the story, I really enjoy reading comments so please leave one after you read, you can write anything you want.
> 
> Have fun^^

Home. Home sweet home.

Changkyun’s eyes light up when he sees the familiar purple walls welcome him. They would say _‘we missed you so much’_ if they could speak and well maybe there is a universe which walls can speak and they indeed say these kind of things. No, that’s stupid. Anyway Changkyun is _that_ happy, enough to talk with his walls internally. He almost tears up with the intensity of longing that weighs on his chest. He missed his own house so much. He walks inside, dropping his hospital stuff to his room with a smile and runs to the bathroom. He quickly takes a shower with his own rose shampoo, he likes the smell of it and afterwards he wears comfy black sweatpants and an orange shirt before he slips under the duvet of his own bed. _His own bed._ God, that sounds and feels really nice. No one clinging to him like a koala, he can just have the space all to himself, he can roll over on it two times not three times because his bed is actually a single bed not a double bed like he had in the clover universe so he can fall off, if he rolls three times. Anyway that’s not the point, the point is he can roll over without bumping to anyone.

He smiles to himself happily before a shiver violently trembles his body. He grimaces then, trying to wrap himself more, seeking for some heat. He got discharged from hospital in the morning after staying two more days but doctor wrote him a week off and suggested him to get rest as much as he can to let his body restore it’s power. He feels better that’s true but still, shivers come and go, a moment he feels hot and another moment he feels cold. But it’s all good. He can handle the situation very well, he got sick before it’s not a big deal. He just needs to take care of his own. He gotta take his pills alone, he gotta make sure if he eats… alone as well. He’ll be okay. Well... Okay who is Changkyun trying to fool? If there is a fool, it’s him. He is trying to fool himself. He knows even though he missed being in his room, it would be nice to have someone to take care of him, to hold him until he feels warmer and pet his hair to chase the sizzling head pain away and he doesn’t know, maybe place a few pecks to his face until he falls asleep. Affection is always the answer to these kind of sicknesses, Changkyun is sure there are articles about it. Okay okay, it’s cheesy and as much as he hates to admit it, he wants Kihyun with him.

And that is really interesting.

It’s a brand new idea for Changkyun, _'wanting Kihyun around'_. He hated Kihyun for ruining his life in every possible way and it certainly feels weird to want to be with him. Actually he is not hating Kihyun anymore since he figured out why he’s doing what he’s doing. And Changkyun saw what they could have together if they had a better relationship. The keyword here is obviously _if_.

It’s not that Kihyun was always mean to him, Changkyun too never stepped down from arguing or annoying the guy. He replied with snarky comments, teasing, joking with him at every chance he got. And now he wants to try something new, he knows he can't take everything back but he came back knowing this fact with the hope that he can change the course of direction of their relationship if he tries hard.

Changkyun takes a deep sigh.

It’s gonna be tough.

He has a lot of damage to repair.

God, what is he gonna do? Can he handle this? What if he can’t? What then? He can't just go back to the clover universe. And he knows what he feared happened, he's gone soft with Kihyun. What if his heart gets broken real bad? What if he has to live on knowing the fact that his soul mate hates him to his guts? Changkyun's stomach tightens with fear. He doesn't want that.

“Are you feeling better?”

Changkyun is saved from his own misery by Jooheon who leans to the door with a yellow-black striped mug in his hand. It’s a birthday a gift from Changkyun to him. A familiar thing. Something Changkyun knows.

And Jooheon, his beloved hyung. His very, very beloved hyung. Even in another world, he helped Changkyun and without knowing, he helped Changkyun in this world too after he is back. He stayed with Changkyun at the hospital until he's discharged and Changkyun woke up a few times, confused the world he’s in, asking where he is. Jooheon helped him calm down even though he didn't understand what's going on with Changkyun. He put him back to sleep and without realizing, Changkyun started to look at his hyung to ground himself whenever he doubts if he is in real world, for real.

“Yeah. I’m a lot better.” Changkyun nods, watching Jooheon walk up to sit next to him. The older smiles, wordlessly offers the mug to him and Changkyun smiles back, happily takes it. It’s a red liquid, a pink steam is blowing on it and has a fruity scent. It’s Jooheon’s grandma’s special sickness tea. It contains mint, chamomile, lemon, ginger and all kind of other herbs Changkyun doesn’t know. It doesn’t taste very good but he likes it, he likes the familiarity of it because Jooheon makes the tea everytime Changkyun feels ill and seeing it now, makes Changkyun’s eyes sting a little. Another familiar thing.

“Hey what’s wrong?” Jooheon asks, rubbing his hand up and down to Changkyun’s right shoulder to comfort him. “Bad head pain?”

“And chest pain.” Changkyun pats on his chest, coughs roughly a few times, acting like the tears are caused by the pain, not the gratitude of being at home and fear of waking upto another life again. He decided to keep what happened to himself because he knows he can’t tell what he went through to Jooheon, he can't prove it so best to do is hide everything.

“By the way hyung, thanks for not telling my mom. She gets into this end-of-the-world-mood whenever I get sick so I bet she’d have panic attacks if she’d hear I was unconscious for a week.” Changkyun smiles bitterly, takes a sip from the mug. He can’t taste it very well but still, it’s drinkable.

“How could I after you threatened me with throwing away my psp? Nah, I wouldn’t.” Jooheon replies with round eyes. “But I was going to tell her if your condition got worse.” He pouts.

Changkyun’s mom moved back to her hometown after his father passed away and Changkyun does his best to only tell good things to his mom because she went through enough and she shouldn’t be worried about Changkyun, she should take care of herself. That’s why Changkyun tries to hide even the slightest injury or sickness he’s having and tells his friends to keep things hush hush as well.

“It was just a flu my honeybee, you heard the doctors. They said it’s something common, I just need to boost my stamina and that’s all. You know I’m alright now, you know that. Don’t worry anymore please.” Changkyun pinches his hyung’s cheeks softly.

Jooheon puffs his lips. “Okay okay. But you are going to take good rest okay?”

Changkyun nods like a puppy.

“No funny business. Just rest. Sleep, eat and rest. In cycle.”

“Yes sir.”

“You have a week off I suppose? Use that well.”

Changkyun nods slowly. “Yeap, I have a whole week to myself. We can binge watch anything you want.”

Jooheon nods too. “Lucifer season 5. But I can’t be around all the time. There is this big fuss in the studio.”

“Big artist?” Changkyun asks in excitement. Jooheon is a real gem, he’s known in the music area and it’s just a matter of time for him to get recognized.

“Big artist.” Jooheon nods, he presses his lips before he says, “IU.”

“No shit! IU? The IU? Nation’s sweetheart?”

Jooheon nods with a big smile.

“You are gonna work with IU?” Changkyun sits up immediately. His sleep literally jumps out of his body and runs away from the door.

Jooheon nods again with a proud smile.

“Wow. Hyung this is huge!”

“Well…” Jooheon starts proudly, his face lights up. “One of her lyricist saw my instagram page and showed it to her and she liked my work apparently.”

Changkyun feels his heart getting warmer. “You are a great producer hyung, of course she would. Oh my god, I’m so proud of you.” He says with happiness and then his eyes go wide with realization. Jooheon is gonna work with one of the best singers in the country. “Hyung you gotta get me an autograph. You must!” Changkyun clings Jooheon’s arm and squeezes like a kid who is demanding a big, red candy.

“I don’t know if I can Kyun but I’ll try.” Jooheon laughs, messing with younger’s hair. His face gets serious immediately. “Wow you still have fever. Do you want anything? I can get you some pills if you want?”

Changkyun shakes his head, feeling dizzy but he doesn’t want his hyung to worry so he just smiles it off. “Nah, I’m good. I’ll be better if I sleep a little.”

“Okay then, I’ll leave so you get some sleep. We’ll talk about me working with IU later. Get some rest.” Jooheon gets up, tucking Changkyun nicely and grabbing the mug from him.

“Hey hyung.” Changkyun stops him before he is out of the room and Jooheon turns to look at him with a hum, implying that he is expecting him to continue.

“How do you fix a broken relationship?” Changkyun says, somehow feels uncertain when he mutters the words. He doesn’t know why he asked it too, so he flusters, looking down and clears his throat. “Is there a way?”

Jooheon stares at him, hand still on the door knob. He stands for a moment.

“I don’t know.”

Changkyun feels a little disheartened with his reply. “So you say nothing would work.”

“No.” Jooheon shakes his head. “I’m not saying nothing would work, I’m saying I don’t know because I’ve never tried to do that.”

“That’s a given hyung. You are a big lovable sunshineball. No one can hate you so you never need to ask that question.”

“No one hates you too Kyun.”

Changkyun scoffs like Jooheon said the most funny thing. “Tell that to my arch-enemy.”

Jooheon looks at him with soft eyes then. “Kihyun hyung too doesn’t hate you Kyunnie.”

“Yeah right.” The younger rolls his eyes.

“It’s true that you guys constantly bicker and annoy each other to the guts but I never thought he hates you or you hate him for real. You never got the chance to sit and talk like two normal people, I think that lacks in your relationship.”

Changkyun hums in thought. “So you think it’s gonna be okay once we talk?”

“I don’t know, I don’t think you are gonna have a holy revelation if you do and suddenly become besties but you can try? It’s a step.” The older shrugs.

“What if it doesn’t work?” Changkyun asks, his heart aches for a moment with the possibility. If he never tries then there is no disappointment but if he tries and fails, it’s probably gonna be a heartbreak. And Changkyun doesn’t want that. He nibbles on his bottom lip nervously. Changkyun didn’t realize he wanted it to work so bad.

“You can’t know that. I think you need to take a step first without imagining things by yourself. Good or bad, you can never know what results you will get if you never try and it’s never too late to fix things, if you are sincere and try hard. That’s what I believe.” Jooheon continues with an earnest expression. Somehow his words get through to Changkyun and encourages him a little. The elder smiles, pulling the door knob to close the door. “And Kihyun hyung is much easier than you think, because you know him since forever.”

Changkyun lets out a brief sigh but he doesn’t reply back, too in thoughts to do that. And it’s a very deep pit and Changkyun's head throbs enough for days so he chooses melting into the bed instead of tormenting himself. Thanks to the tea, he feels his skin get warmer under the blankets. He missed this feeling, being wrapped in his own items. It’s nice. Looking around the room, seeing his purple painted walls, his cozy bed he is laying on, his bookshelf filled with all kind of comics and books, gives him happiness. He feels good, he feels safe. He feels he is in his own bubble where he doesn’t need to hide.

It’s home.

With a little bit of longing.

For the thing he had with Kihyun.

For his dad.

For his family.

For the things he could have if somethings were different.

Changkyun feels the tears fill his eyes and without realizing he starts to cry. _Silently_ as his heart aches for many things. He may turn his relationship with Kihyun to a better one but he can’t bring his dad back and he can’t make his family whole again. Poor mom, Changkyun thinks and he feels even more sad when image of her sitting alone in livingroom with a dull face appears in front of his eyes.

He grabs his phone blindly, pressing call for the first number on his contact list.

“Hey mom.” Changkyun smiles when call is picked up after three rings.

 _“Hey baby.”_ Grace replies with her ever sweet voice. Changkyun’s heart hurts.

“Hi.” He says again, sniffing.

_“Are you crying?”_

“No! No.” Changkyun shakes his head firmly.

 _“Are you sure you are okay? You haven’t call me for a while and you don't sound good.”_ Grace replies. Changkyun can sense the slight resentment and worry in her voice.

 _“Yeah sorry mom, I was really busy with work.”_ Changkyun lies. He huffs hollowing his cheeks. _“I just… I just had a dream yesterday and I… uh I missed you. That’s all.”_

Grace hums in acknowledgment. _“I miss you too. Wanna come visit me next week?”_

Changkyun thinks for a moment. “How about I come the other week and we celebrate my birthday together?”

_“Are you sure? Won’t your friends have any plans? I’m sure Jooheon is planning a surprise party.”_

Changkyun shakes his head. “It’s okay. They can do it a day later.”

 _“Okay then if you say so.”_ Grace replies happily. Her tone is so sweet, it makes Changkyun smile. _“I’ll do the preparations. See you later Kyunnie. Please watch out and don’t get sick.”_

Changkyun smiles bitterly, considering the fact that he is already very sick. “I will be. You too mom, please take good care of yourself. Love you.”

_“Love you too.”_

Changkyun hangs up the phone, feeling somehow relieved after hearing his mom's voice. A few tears roll down from his cheek, leaving him with a huge exhaustion. He closes his eyes, too tired to think about anything and just falls into sweet arms of Sandman.

Changkyun calls his mom two more times that week, he wants to call her more but he doesn’t want to weird her out. He texts a few times with Hyungwon and Minhyuk who are apparently out of town and sorry for not being able to visit him. He watches Lucifer’s last season with Jooheon but they can’t finish it because Jooheon works more like he said. It’s good though, that means he is one step closer to his dreams. So in the end Changkyun gets lots of rest, he sleeps, takes his medication, he tries to eat well but he usually orders from outside because neither he nor Jooheon cooks well and more importantly he thinks about what to do to repair his relationship with his long-time enemy Kihyun. And by saying he thinks, it means a lot. He thinks while making coffee, playing games, watching some videos on youtube, paying for the take-out. He even searches online about what to do even though he knows it’s dumb but what harm will it make, right? He's surprised with the fact that there are a lot of results coming up. It must be a hot search topic. He clicks on a few websites, one of them counts 15 steps to help but honestly Changkyun can’t do that much. He has no time and patience for 15 steps. So he chooses 7 step one to read.

_Love Your Enemies: 7 Practical Tips To Turn An Enemy Into a Friend_

_1\. Sincerely apologize_

_2\. Forgive the person_

_3\. Focus on their good qualities_

_4\. Speak well of them resist the urge to gossip_

_5\. Discover what you share in common_

_6\. Offer help if they are clearly in some need_

_7\. Love the person_

All of these steps seem like torture but if he has a shot for being friends with Kihyun, he is willing to try them out. He already did number two, so he should work on number three, four, five and six. He doesn't know how but he should do number one at the end. And for the last one, it doesn’t seem like it’s gonna be a problem.

A week passes just like that.

The first day of work arrives and it feels both like nightmare and dream. Hell, because Changkyun’s kinda got used to wandering around, the idea of working on projects on his own, not getting orders from anyone and he got used to doing things on his own at his time so he feels like he is gonna throw up when he needs to get up early. He normally gets up early but when it’s obligatory he doesn’t feel like it. So it's a total nightmare. And it's a dream, because he gets to see his friends like Hyungwon and get out of this endless cycle of his repetitive days and most importantly put his let’s-be-friends-with-Kihyun-Project on motion. After seeing him acting out at hospital, Changkyun decided to go more soft on him. He can start with basic things like saying hello in the mornings and smile at him casually when they see each other. Changkyun knows Kihyun is gonna be weirded out probably at first but he hopes he will get used to them in time.

Chnagkyun misses the first alarm and wakes up to second which he barely gets time to get dressed and reach at the company on time. He sees a few people on the way up to his floor and accepts their well wishes politely.

He walks to his desk, sees it’s filled with happy balloons and flowers, he smiles and turns around happily when he hears Hyungwon saying, “My favorite engineer is back! I missed you buddy.”

“I missed you too.” Changkyun replies back and lets Hyungwon hug him tightly.

“He was whining about how lonely he felt because you weren’t around.” Another one, Minhyuk chirps and hugs them both.

“Hyung what are you doing here?” Changkyun asks surprised. The other one is a lawyer, he works at another floor and he is generally too busy even to come see his boyfriend Hyungwon.

“I came down to see you. Sorry we couldn’t come visit you at home. We thought it would be better if you’d just spend time alone resting.”

Changkyun shakes his head. “It’s okay hyung. We kept chatting anyway. I almost had to silence our group chat.”

“You can't do that! Otherwise how would you see the meme about that leash?” Minhyuk says and all of them burst into laughs. Minhyuk and Hyungwon start to talk about what happend when he wasn't around and Changkyun listens them enthusiastically with a smile on his face. God, he missed them. 

“If there is a fuss, of course it’s because of Im Changkyun.” Changkyun hears someone say, a familiar voice and sees Kihyun walking to trio with an annoyed expression. “I see you are back.”

Changkyun’s smile falters a little, Kihyun must have notice because his teasing expression changes.

“You’re not even replying with a snarky comeback. I think you still need to get some rest.”

Changkyun looks at him, he wants to reply with something _snarky_ but he holds his tongue. He knows it’s gonna be hard but he decided to act different, he decided to be more kind so he says, “Thanks for thinking about my health but I’m better so you don’t need to worry.”

Kihyun looks at him before he scoffs. “Who said I worry? You have a lot of tasks to finish, if you are okay, you should get to work on them.”

“Hey, stop being mean.” Minhyuk rolls his eyes but Kihyun doesn’t listen, he walks to the printer.

“It’s okay hyung, he is right. I should start working.” Changkyun shakes his head, agreeing with the other one. He wasn’t around for two weeks, there must be tons of documents and tasks piled up waiting for him. Besides that, this is a company so he'll get paid if he works. Suddenly he misses the freedom of having his own thing, working as a freelancer. Maybe he should just get into that path. He is an engineer after all and he’s good at what he is doing so he’s sure that he can find jobs to work on. But whatever, that’s a thought for another day. So Changkyun just nods with a smile, patting on Hyungwon’s shoulder. “You guys should go too. I’m really glad to see you two. Thank you for greeting me.”

Hyungwon and Minhyuk seem confused but Changkyun doesn’t question and they don’t comment on it so after saying a few thing more, they leave.

Changkyun feels tired standing up for so long, he practically throws himself on his chair. Actually it wasn’t that long but somehow he feels drained and he is not that well to be honest because he didn’t recover fully. Changkyun thinks it’s probably a side effect of dimension travel, at least that’s what he came up with because he has no other explanation for some common flu to be so violent on his body.

“You don’t look that well.”

Changkyun looks up and sees Kihyun still standing there, looking at him with an unfazed expression.

“You’re still here?” Changkyun asks, surprised.

Kihyun blinks a few times. “Whatever.” He says and walks away, leaving Changkyun confused.

What’s up with him? What’s with that attidute? Did he sound harsh or teasing? But Changkyun didn’t realize if he did. Did he misunderstand Changkyun? That’s not good, Changkyun pouts. It’s the first day at work and he’s already annoyed Kihyun. Should he just go after him and say something? No, that will seem weird because that’s not Changkyun at all. Realizing he has no any other option Changkyun sighs and opens his computer to check up his tasks. He has a lot of e-mails piled up for two weeks so he starts to work through them. He solves a few recently reported critical problems and checks the next page. It's already lunch time but he doesn't leave his desk because his face lights up when he sees an e-mail sent by Kihyun five days ago. It’s not a big problem but it’s certainly an opportunity because if he solves this one, he will have an excuse to go to Kihyun so Changkyun dives in it. He finds the error in the payment program, someone typed a wrong input and crashed the whole program. Changkyun fixes it and gets up in a hurry, walking towards Kihyun’s cubic.

Kihyun doesn’t realize Changkyun is standing there, clearly he is very into the papers he is reading. There are a lot of files scattered on his always neat desk, making it look messy. Kihyun always keeps his things organized like Changkyun.

Hey that’s the number five on the list, a habit they both have, Changkyun realizes. That list may be useful after all.

Kihyun’s wearing his round glasses, he keeps spinning a blue pen between his fingers. His black hair is styled back, his navy jacket is hanged behind his chair and his light blue shirt’s sleeves are rolled up to his elbow. Suddenly Changkyun remembers their high school days, Kihyun sitting at the teacher’s table while Changkyun sits to the nearest desk, reading a book to pass his detention time. Kihyun wasn’t like this back then. Yeah he was handsome but he had a smaller figure. Now he seems very in shape, he seems like he is working out. Changkyun never looked at him that way so he didn't realize but he looks _good_. His eyes wonder on his biceps where his shirt thightly wrap and his chest, buff, Changkyun realizes then how firm his muscles look. He wonders if they are hard as they seem.

“What are you doing?”

“I—I just—Well… Hi.” Changkyun stutters when he snaps his head and his eyes meet with Kihyun’s.

His heart flips just by looking at his eyes.

Stop it you fool.

Kihyun raises an eyebrow and leans back to his chair. “Do you want something?”

Changkyun shakes his head absent-mindedly. “You wanted something.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. You’ve sent me an email about payment program.”

Kihyun squints his eyes and nods a few seconds later. “Yeah, the whole thing crashed and we can’t use that module for a few days.”

“Until now.” Changkyun smiles proudly. “I fixed it.”

Kihyun looks at him, his eyes roams on his face. “Good.” He nods then, grabbing the file on his right and flipping through the pages.

Changkyun waits for something. For him to say another thing but Kihyun doesn’t say anything more.

“That’s it? Just ‘good’?” He asks eventually with his eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

Kihyun throws him a look. “What do you want me to do? Pop a confetti just because you did your job?”

Changkyun looks at him disbelieving. “A _‘thank you’_ would be nice.”

“If I’d say thank you to everyone who do their job, we’d be here all day Im.” Kihyun rolls his eyes. “Besides it wasn’t a red code error, we’d work around it somehow.”

Changkyun lets out a sigh. This must be a joke. Does this jerk know that he spent his lunch time to fix this problem and he couldn’t eat anything and he already feels very tired due to that stupid sickness? Seems like doing that was a mistake. Clearly. Changkyun should have just go out and eat whatever he wanted instead of searching the code. He didn't need to fix a problem so Kihyun can work more smoothly, he should have let him suffer with a damn old calculator. If he cares nothing about Changkyun why the hell Changkyun should care about him? Changkyun opens his mouth to say something, probably to scold him because he is fuming but his stomach grumble like two trucks crash into each other with a loud bang.

Kihyun darts a quick look at Changkyun, but he stays silent.

“If I knew this was such an insufficient problem, I wouldn’t spend my precious lunch time trying to work it out and starve.” Changkyun eventually says and turns back with tears stinging in his eyes. He walks to the bathroom and locks himself in a stall. He walks in the small area as much as he can to release his anger. God, he feels frustrated. That stupid, idiot guy who thinks thank his lips will worn out if he mutters the words. Its just a word, a word goddamnit it's not that hard. Changkyun really wants to punch some stuff but he can’t because A, he’ll probably break his wrist and B, someone walks into the bathroom. So he tries to cool himself down, takes breathes silently and flushes the toilet to not seem weird when he gets out.

He walks to the sink, pours some soap to his hands.

“Hey Changkyun.” The incomer greets him. It’s Mark from finance, he’s a few years older than Changkyun, a very handsome guy apart being a very nice one.

“Hey hyung.” Changkyun greets the older one with a nod.

“I didn’t see you at cafeteria today.” The other one comments. They sometimes eat together; Mark, Minhyuk, Hyungwon and Changkyun because the other trio know each other long before Changkyun came to the company.

“Yeah I was working on this e-mail Kihyun sent me, trying to fix the payment module.” Changkyun replies, rinsing his hands.

Mark throws him a look. “You were working with Kihyun?” Of course it must sound weird, Mark witnessed a few quarrels they had before so he probably knows they are not on very good terms.

“No no I was working on the e-mail he sent me.” Changkyun replies with a frown. Working with Kihyun? That’s like the last thing he would want. “I would hate—“ Be nice, don’t gossip about him Changkyun reminds himself. “Why? What made you think that?”

Mark shrugs, grabs a paper towel to dry his hands. “Kihyun didn’t come to cafeteria either, so I thought you might be working together.” He throws the used towel into trash bin. ”It’s weird though, it’s pudding day and he never misses a puding day.”

Changkyun rolls his eyes. “Yeah tell me about it. Once I had to fight for the last one.”

“He likes it a lot.” Mark nods.

“Yeah he does.” Changkyun nods too. He grabs a piece of paper towel to dry his hands.

“Anyways, take good care of yourself and don't forget to eat something.” Mark smiles.

“Will do. Thank you hyung.” Changkyun replies back and they get out of the bathroom.

Changkyun’s stomach grumbles and hurts on the way to his desk. He thinks about the options, cafeteria must be closed because lunch time is over. He can swing by the market but no matter how hungry he is, he doesn’t want to eat snacks. But maybe he has to because he feels famished, he couldn't get a chance to eat anything earlier as well and seems like his body got used to having breakfasts in the morning because his stomach hurts even more. Damn it, Changkyun spent years to get over that habit. And now he has to start all over again. Or maybe he can start having breakfasts instead of skipping or having plain coffee. It's burdensome to be honest, Changkyun prefers sleeping five minutes more rather than getting up an eat stuff but he knows that's a bad habit so maybe he should change. He can have breakfasts that doesn't mean he should go overboard. Tomorrow he can try something, something simple. Maybe a few pieces of toast and jam. That'll be a good start.

Changkyun sits down and closes his eyes with a big sigh. He opens his eyes and yes, black dots. Black dots are swimming in the air. And a sandwich is laying on his desk. Looking really delicious. Asking to be eaten. Wait what? Changkyun sits up straight, blinks a few times to be sure it’s not a product of his imagination and then grabs the sandwich with almost teary eyes. He unwraps it and noms on it hurrily. The first bite, that must be how heaven tastes… if it could. Well Changkyun has nothing to compare it with at the moment. He’s so hungry, anything tastes awesome.

He swallows the piece in his mouth in hurry like someone is gonna grab it from him and takes another bite. When he’s half way to his sandwich he hears someone walk towards him.

“You just got out the hospital but you seem like you don’t care about your health. Next time, eat something more decent.”

Changkyun snaps his head to Kihyun.

“A sandwich won’t kill me, much to your dismay.” Changkyun replies with a glare. It’s his sandwich, he’s gonna protect it with all costs.

Kihyun looks at him with an unamused expression. “If that was the goal, I’d ask them to put cyanide into it not mustard-mayo. And I believe the guy who took the order would be less surprised.”

Changkyun stares at him for a moment, a playful smile appears on his lips. “You bought this? You specifically made an order for me? You know my favorite sandwich spread?”

Kihyun looks at him like gears are working in his head and takes a step back, blinking his eyes with a confused faced. “No?”

“But you just said—“

“No I didn’t say—“

“I’m sure I heard you say—“

“I just bought the sandwich okay? That’s it.” Kihyun scoffs, nodding his head to the half eaten sandwich in Changkyun’s hand.

Changkyun looks at him and swallows the piece in his mouth slowly. His heart starts to pick up the pace. “What for?”

Kihyun shrugs with an undifferent expression. “You said you skipped lunch because you were doing the task I sent with e-mail.”

Changkyun feels a small tug in his stomach, a very small one.

“So?” Changkyun puts sandwich on his desk and grabs a tissue to wipe his fingers. “When did you get so thoughtful?” He grins.

Kihyun tsks. “I’m not thoughtful. It’s just… You don’t seem like you are fully recovered and I don’t want to be reason for you to get sick again and skip work.” He says and adds, “Because there is a lot of work to do.”

Changkyun nods slowly, holding his smile back. “Okay.”

He looks at his computer screen and scrolls down, trying to find the last line he was at before whole this mess. He turns back to Kihyun when he stands there by his desk, unmoving.

“What now? Do you want something?”

Kihyun scoffs, glances down at him. “A _thank you_ would be nice. You said I was thoughtful.”

“And you said it was for work. What do you want me to do?” Changkyun remembers the conversation between them before and this moment looks truly hilarious. He bites his lips not to laugh. He hopes it’s not that obvious.

Kihyun stares at him with an annoyed gaze, his tongue at his cheek.

“If you thank me for the task, I’ll thank you for the sandwich.” Changkyun clasps his hands together, elbows on his desk and looks up at Kihyun sweetly.

Kihyun lets out a sound of disbelief. “You are insufferable.”

“Thank you darling you too.”

“Hah!” Kihyun claps his hands loudly with a smug expression. “You just said thank you.”

“I also said darling and that didn’t bother you at all?” Changkyun lifts his eyebrows in surprise. “Interesting.”

“What? What the hell are you talking about?” Kihyun chokes, looking at him like he said a foreign word he didn't understand. He crosses his hands on his chest with an attitude. “You know what? I don’t have time for this, I have papers to work on so I don’t have time to play with you _kid_. So here you go, thank you for doing the task and make the program useful again Im.”

“You’re welcome.” Changkyun grins, feeling victorious. “Thank you for the sandwich Kihyun.” He replies back, looking at the guy who pouts. Gosh, he looks so cute.

“You’re happy?” Kihyun coughs uncomfortably.

“Yes.” Changkyun smiles more. “See? It was not that hard.”

“Whatever.” Kihyun rolls his eyes and turns around, walking fast to his desk.

Changkyun turns to his screen with a smile on his lips. Teasing Kihyun is so fun.

For the next days Changkyun keeps working on his tasks and occasionally when he comes across with Kihyun on the hallway he greets the guy as cheery as possible like he planned. He hopes he doesn't look weird but he’s just getting disapproving looks from the other one so he probably looks weird. Still he doesn’t give up, he continues to act nice. He even doesn’t eat the last pudding at cafeteria Wednesday for Kihyun. Hyungwon notices it when Changkyun slides it on Kihyun's desk when he goes to bathroom but he doesn’t comment on it. Changkyun definitely sees him trying to hide his laugh behind the computer screen but he says nothing, he is too embarrassed. He puts his let’s-have-a-breakfast-in-the-morning plan into motion because he really doesn’t want to feel that hungry again. He plans to wake up earlier to eat but he misses the first two alarm and wakes up late at Tuesday too so he can’t make breakfast to himself but he wakes up on time at Wednesday and manages to eat something before he goes to the work. And then he boils egg one day, he makes toast another. For more than a week he tries to do his best at everything.

At the next Monday Changkyun does something he never did in his life. He invites Kihyun to his table.

“And then I told him that I hated the show.” Hyungwon says, pushing the beans around with a sigh. “He messed my half finished puzzle and the worst part is, I can't find the fourth corner piece.”

“He didn’t like your answer huh?” Changkyun throws him a sorry look.

“Yeah… Minhyuk is just… like that.” Hyungwon replies. “He is handful.”

Changkyun purses his lips. “But still, you don’t give up on him do you? No matter how much he challenges you?”

Hyungwon nods slowly. He drops his chopsticks and crosses his hands on the table and looks at Changkyun. “I think you shouldn’t too.”

Changkyun lifts his gaze to him. Hyungwon gives him an understanding look so Changkyun smiles at him with a nod. He wants to question further but he can’t because Hyungwon jerks his head to somewhere, “Isn’t that Kihyun?” and Changkyun perks up, turns behind to take a better look at the guy who stand at the end of the food line with a tray between his hands. Kihyun looks around, probably looking for a place to sit. Unfortunately, this is the hot time for cafeteria so every place is taken.

A brilliant idea comes to Changkyun's mind.

“Let’s call him over.” He suggests.

“What?” Hyungwon asks with a very visible surprise.

“What? Let’s call him over.” Changkyun shrugs and holds his hands up, waving like crazy. “Kihyun! Hey Kihyun! Come here!” He yells. Kihyun turns at him for a second but then looks away and starts to walk.

“He didn’t hear me?” Changkyun tilts his head in question.

“I don’t think he didn’t—Hey, hey Changkyun!” Hyungwon says but Changkyun is already up, walking fast to Kihyun.

“Hey there.” He chirps, stepping in front of the older one in a heartbeat.

Kihyun stops suddenly to prevent himself bumping him and rolls his eyes. “What?”

“I saw you looking for a place to sit and we have one free. Come sit with us.” Changkyun shows the table he and Hyungwon sit.

Kihyun looks over there. “Why would I do that?”

Changkyun shrugs. “Because there is no other seat and if you can eat with one hand holding the tray that’s fine but we all know what happened when you tried to hold that watermelon during senior—“

“Okay okay!” Kihyun huffs and walks to the table. Changkyun follows him and sits on his place while Kihyun sits next to Hyungwon across him.

“Hey Kihyun.” Hyungwon greets the other one.

“Hi Hyungwon. How is your project going? I heard from Jisoo that you are doing well.” Kihyun replies as he wipes the spoon and chopsticks with a tissue. A habit he has since highschool. Somethings never change.

“Why are you smiling?” Hyungwon kicks at his foot and Changkyun pouts at him.

“I am? Huh I didn’t realize.” Changkyun shrugs, grabbing his chopsticks. “Probably because I like being with my friends. That’s all.”

Hyungwon looks at him with squinted eyes, there is a smile lingers on his lips. “Friends? Plural?”

Changkyun’s eyes dart Kihyun to see his reaction. Kihyun doesn’t look up from his tray, seems like he acts like he didn’t hear or waits for Changkyun’s answer.

“Yeah, I said my _friends_.” Changkyun presses on the word and let it linger in the air.

Kihyun tsks.

“What?” Changkyun asks like he has no clue why he did that.

“Seems like you need to learn Korean all over again.”

“And why is that?”

“Friends? Why the hell do you say that? I know you refer me as your arch-enemy. I’ve heard you say it many times.” Kihyun remarks.

“Pfffffffft.” Changkyun snorts, waving his hand in the air. “That’s not true… I mean whoever told you that clearly lied. You are not my arch-enemy Kihyun. You think you can rival me?” Damn it Changkyun, hold your tongue.

“You, yourself said it to me several times. And yes, I can rival you.” Kihyun replies with an unamused face.

Shit… Changkyun totally forgot the first part and he shouldn't ask the question for second part.

“I was probably joking with you.” Changkyun replies lightly.

“Jokes happen between friends.” Kihyun says. “We are not friends.”

“Yeah I get that.” Changkyun drops his gaze to the chopsticks in his tray. His mood is slowly dropping because this conversation is not going like the way he wants. He feels very flustered in a negative way.

“I’m sure that’s not true. You know each other for a long time.” Hyungwon comments after an awkward silence.

“Do we?” Kihyun says in a sarcastic way. “We don’t know each other. We don’t know each other at all.”

“I… I don’t think that's true.” Changkyun protests weakly.

“Yeah?” Kihyun lifts an eyebrow, looking at him curiously. “Then count ten things you know about me. No, count five things and then we'll see if we’re friends.”

“I can count!” Changkyun replies a little loud.

Kihyun smirks. “You can? "

“Yeah I can.”

Kihyun looks at him like he weighing him with his eyes. “Okay then. I’m waiting.”

Changkyun swallows barely, his heart is beating so fast. He feels nervous suddenly because he realizes that he has a _chance_ , he can’t mess this up. He tries to think but his mind is like a blank canvas. Nothing comes to his mind so he starts with the dumbest reply.

“Your name is Kihyun.”

Kihyun snorts. “Really Im?”

Changkyun feels his ears start to feel hot. “Shut up, I’m thinking.”

Kihyun bites back a smile and nods. "Okay I'll count that one since I'm sure it's the only answer you can give."

Changkyun rolls his eyes at him. His mind works so fast but his comprehension capability is following behind. There are things he remembers from other Kihyun but he doesn't know if they apply to this one. Like photography. Is this Kihyun interested in photography? Or does he like sleeping with another person? Is he positive about marriage? Changkyun doesn't know if he should talk about any of it like he knows them as traits of his Kihyun.

No he shouldn't do that. Because that Kihyun and this one aren't the same. Changkyun knew those things about that Kihyun because he spent a week with him but he knows this Kihyun more, he spent years with him.

"You--" He starts after god knows how many minutes later. His hands shake so he lowers them under the table. Wow, he really didn't think he'd be this nervous just because he is going to talk about Kihyun. He bites his bottom lip and takes a breathe before he says,"You are hardworking. You always did your best at the school, no matter if it was an important class like math or unimportant like orientation. You are diligent with whatever you do. Anyone can just leave anything to your hands and they don’t have to check back if you did it nicely because you do. You are stubborn, you went a year long English course just because you wanted to watch movies without subtitles and understand them. You are neat, you like to keep things organized.”

He lifts his gaze to Kihyun after he lets out a breathe. Hah! He did it.

Kihyun is looking at him with a confused expression, like he wasn’t expecting Changkyun to say anything or take this serious at all. His shoulders are tense, his hands stay unmoving at the sides of his tray.

“What do you think?” Changkyun tilts his head, looking at him with an anticipation. "You think I didn't know anything about you, right? Well guess what idiot, you are wrong."

Kihyun looks at him for a moment more before he clears his throat and say, “I think you’re the idiot and I’m full. Have a good lunch.” and he grabs his tray, getting up to leave with quick feet.

“Hey I counted 5 things about you. Are we friends? Do you acknowledge that?” Changkyun intently focusing his gaze on him, as if to calibrate his reaction but Kihyun doesn't stop.

“Hey don’t run away! We’re totally friends now!” He attempts to get up but Hyungwon grabs his hand. “He’s gone Changkyun.” The elder brushes his fingers on Changkyun’s wrist. It’s a pity hold, Changkyun recognizes it. So he turns Hyungwon with a pout.

“You tried.” The elder says with a soft look.

“I did.” Changkyun nods with a sigh. He really did try his luck. He thought it's gonna be easy. What a fool.

“I don’t know what’s going on with you two but don’t feel bad about it.” Hyungwon lets go his hand but hold his gaze on him.

Changkyun frowns. “I’m just trying to patch things up with Kihyun. We're not kids anymore and I don’t want us to keep bug each other.”

Hyungwon lets out a laugh. "You are not kids but you totally act like them." He says and leans slightly to Changkyun with his elbows on the table. “Did you talk with him about it?”

Changkyun shakes his head.

“You know you have to, right?”

Changkyun nods.

“You can’t just do things on your own and expect the reactions you want from him. You’ll only get disappointed just like this. You know that, do you?”

Changkyun nods again.

“You can say that I’m just testing the water.” Changkyun says pursing his lips. “But I don’t know how it’s going so far.”

Hyungwon looks at him with a nod. “Well I can say this one thing. You guys didn’t even talk for a moment without arguing badly and today you two did sit together and had something _like_ a conversation, arguing in a good way. Try to look at it from the bright side. You said you weren’t friends before and now you may or may not be friends. It’s a positive change.”

Changkyun snorts at him. “Yeah yeah.”

“I’m serious. And don't forget the fact that you didn’t like each other for a long time and I’m sure there are some misunderstandings you both need to solve. As I said if you talk with him, you’ll get more answers.” Hyungwon says. “Don’t give up and don’t frown okay? You are a good person Kyun, he’ll see that.”

Changkyun nods with a smile. “Thank you hyung.”

Tuesday and Wednesday pass with work work and work. Changkyun doesn’t see Kihyun much.

At Thursday he tries to make french toasts because he starts to feel a longing settling in his heart. He lingers at kitchen more than he should so he can’t find time to eat it and brings them to work with him. He slips to break room to take a few bites from his breakfast to silence his loud stomach. Thankfully the room is empty, probably because it's early.

Changkyun sits down to the common table and takes out his lunchbox. He opens it and well… it doesn’t look very appealing because Changkyun did over heat the pan and kinda burned the breads. He has no idea how they turned from gold to black in seconds while he was at the kitchen for the whole time. At least he noted that for the next time, don't take your eyes off of breads.

He continues to stare at his breakfast, thinking which part he can bite when someone walks in and Changkyun snaps his head up, seeing Kihyun in a black suit with a black mug in his hand stands by the door and throws him a confused look.

“What are you doing here at this hour?” He asks. "You don't drink coffee."

“Hey _friend_.” Changkyun greets him and Kihyun ignores him as he always does. He takes a few steps in but his eyes catches the lunchbox in front of Changkyun and Changkyun is strucked by those weirdly perfect brows as they furrowed into a genuinely concerned look.

“What on earth is that?”

Changkyun drops his look in front of him. “It is my breakfast. I heard that the breakfast is a very important meal of the day and you should do it everyday to get energized or something like that. Also it has something to do with health too.”

Kihyun nods slowly. “I agree on with whoever said that. Seems like a smart person." He says. "I do breakfast everyday.”

 _Yeah I know,_ Changkyun thinks.

“Yeah and I… So I said let’s try and have one.”

“And what, you just decided to swing by to the nearest coal mine and grab a few charcoal pieces to nom on as breakfast?” Kihyun tilts his head, looking at him. “Are you eating them for nutrition values? Because I can assure you—"

“Ha ha very funny. Idiot.” Changkyun rolls his eyes at him, takes what the other one said as an insult. He worked so hard to do this. He failed at frying them but it’s something he did so he is gonna protect and stand for his breads.

Kihyun stops when he sees the pout on Changkyun’s face but it's obvious he finds this funny because no matter how he presses his lips together and looks down, he can't hide his laugh tremble his shoulders.

"Hey don't laugh." Changkyun pouts.

Kihyun shakes his head. “Sorry.” He mutters.

Sorry?

Changkyun’s eyes light up.

“I see you are in the mood again. I knew we were bonding.” He smiles sweetly.

“Because you weirdly say _hi_ everytime you see me?” Kihyun lifts an eyebrow, turning back to his old self. “I don’t know what game you are playing but rest assured you can’t trick me.”

Changkyun rolls his eyes. “I’m not playing any games, I just say hello and that’s it. It won’t hurt if you say it back once in a while you know.”

“So you are not doing it for anything? It’s not some sort of prank or part of a prank? You just say good morning?” Kihyun looks at him in disbelief.

“Yeah.” Changkyun shrugs, pouting. “Maybe it’s good to see you in the mornings so that’s why I say good morning to you. Have you ever think about that?”

Kihyun's stare lingers on him like he is sizing up Changkyun's words, trying to figure out to find out if there is something else laying underneath what he said but Changkyun just meant what he meant. It’s good to see him in the mornings. Even though he doesn’t care about Changkyun or think the same.

“You seem like you are better, since you started to tease back.” Kihyun says eventually.

“It’s not a tease.” Changkyun insists.

Kihyun presses his lips together. “I bet.” He says and walks to the coffee machine. He places a capsule into it and checks the water before he presses it on. Changkyun wants to say something but he doesn’t want to push Kihyun anymore, he knows he overdid it so he watches him walk around wordlessly. His heart skips a few beat when Kihyun turns around to lean the counter as the machine garbles and starts to brew the coffee. “Charcoral for breakfast... So I’m guessing sea shells for lunch? I know a good place that has an amazing menu of tree trunks for dinner.”

Changkyun cocks an eyebrow and shoots a sideways grin. “You asking me out for dinner? I’m down if you pay.”

Kihyun flushes pink in record time.

Changkyun bites his lips not to laugh at him and brushes the topic away. “Anyways these are not charcoal, okay? These are my french toast attempts which clearly it went horribly wrong.” Changkyun fixes him a look before dropping his eyes on the poor, pitiful burnt breads. 

“It went horribly wrong that’s for sure.” Kihyun clears his throat, hooking a finger to loosen his tie. “I mean the coal mine could search for missing pieces—“

“Enough with the charcoal already.” Changkyun says with a controlled smile as a warning.

"Okay okay." Kihyun rolls his eyes but biting his lips not to laugh. “French toasts are so basic, it’s not even that complicated. You just whisk some milk, salt and egg together and dip breads into the mix then fry. That’s it. How did you manage to fail at such a simple thing Im? It’s beyond my imagination.”

“It sounds really easy when you tell it and I’m sure you think you are Gordon Ramsay but I highly doubt that you can crack two eggs without dropping shell in the bowl.” Changkyun flashes an annoyed smile. It’s not his fault that he couldn’t learn how to cook. He just never needed to.

“You are insulting my cooking skills? That’s low Im. That’s so low.” Kihyun gapes in shock. “You seem like you forget about the bake sales. I remember you buying not one but two pieces from my famous banana bread."

Changkyun's eyebrows are pulled together. "Your mom did them."

Kihyun scoffs. "No, I did them. Mom... She didn't have time, she was working." He stares down, crossing his arms in front of him.

Changkyun understands he remembers that times his parents were fighting. His heart aches. He wants to talk about it but he can't let Kihyun know what he thinks in a place like this. They should have privacy so that means he should change the mood.

"I uh... I don't believe you." Changkyun clears his throat and stares at Kihyun daringly. "I bet you can't do french toasts."

Kihyun lifts his gaze to him. He gets up from counter with a smug face. "Oh you have no idea how skillful I am. I crack eggs like no one do.”

“And that is totally not sexual.” Changkyun comments.

Kihyun scoffs. “Everything is sexual for you.”

“And how do you know that?” Changkyun tilts his head, asking innocently.

Kihyun is flustered very obviously. “Because you have a mindset of a teenager and you are an idiot and you are wrong Im. I will prove it to you. You will see how tasty my french toasts are.”

Changkyun giggles, glad to see his gloomy mood is gone. “I bet they are.”

“Yes.” Kihyun nods firmly. “Yes they are. In fact I’m gonna make some and bring tomorrow so you can be sorry.”

“Oh I can’t wait for that to happen.” Changkyun clasps his hands together and presses his chin on them.

Kihyun rolls his eyes and turns back to the coffee machine to pour some coffee in his mug.

“I knew I heard the coffee machine beep!” Someone walks in a hurry. Manager Soyou stands next to Kihyun with an expectation in her eyes and an empty mug in her hand just in milliseconds, asking sweetly, “Can I have some?”

“Yeah sure.” Kihyun smiles softly at her and fills the cup. “Your hair looks really nice by the way, I couldn’t say it the other day.”

“Awww thanks Kihyun.” Soyou replies with a smile. 

Changkyun feels the fun he felt a moment ago turns into something else. His heart tumble once. And it’s not nice. He feels a green feeling poke his stomach. He knows Soyou and Kihyun know each other from college, she is his sunbae and they are very close friends. Changkyun isn’t jealous of her because he knows Kihyun isn’t interested in her like that but still he is jealous of the way Kihyun treats her. He’s trying to get a genuine smile, a word, anything from the guy for almost two weeks and all she has to do is come inside and ask for coffee. It’s frustrating to look at.

“What were you guys doing?” Soyou says as she blows in the mug and turns to Changkyun.

Kihyun clears his throat, shaking his head. “Nothing, we were just talking about work.”

“You weren’t comparing yourselves, were you? Because you both are very good at what you do. You pull off every project you are in greatly. And you are not working in the same positions so what’s the point of arguing, right?” She praises them both.

“No sir, I can assure you it wasn’t an argument.” Changkyun says, secretly enjoying the compliments.

“Great.” Manager Soyou smiles, she looks at Kihyun. “Because I know some people do.”

“Like Minhyuk?”

“Yeah definitely like Minhyuk.” Soyou nods to Kihyun. “And talking about work… Kihyun do remember the reports about the marketing for the new product, the ones your team assembled?”

“Yeah?” Kihyun says visibly bristled, already hating where this is heading.

Even Changkyun knows he is not gonna like where this will going.

“I won’t beat around the bush and just get to the point.” Soyou sighs. “Seems like there was a mistake.”

“What kind of mistake? We double checked everything.”

“It’s not your team’s mistake. Someone forgot to update the numbers and gave Mike the old one so the product price, cost, demand-suply probability basically everything is wrong. In the end your team came up with some predictions and the numbers doesn’t reflect the real result.”

“What?” Kihyun asks, horrified. “Are you kidding me? We worked weeks for that.”

Oh no it’s bad, Changkyun looks at him worriedly. Kihyun hates when people mess up something he worked so hard for.

“No I’m not kidding unfortunately. You need to work on them and recalculate everything as soon as you can.” Manager Soyou replies.

“Due to when?” Kihyun asks, pinching out his nose with his fingers. “I can get it ready by next—“

“Tomorrow noon.”

“Tomorrow noon?”

“Yeah, there is gonna be a presentation at evening so it'll be good if you can handle it fast.” Soyou throws an apologetic smile like she is not cornering the guy because no matter how much it looks like a suggestion, it’s clearly not a suggestion.

Kihyun’s shoulders slump down, he has nothing to do but to accept. “I gotta find Chuck.” He sighs and walks out of the room in a hurry.

Changkyun’s eyes follow him until he is out of sight and he directs them to Manager when she says, “That’s gonna be tough because Chuck is on parental leave. His wife gave birth last Thursday so I doubt he is gonna be available nor he would wanna come and work when he is on a leave. No one would want to leave their newborn baby.”

“Oh…” Changkyun’s eyebrows are raised. “Kihyun doesn’t know that? It’s a guy from his team. I bet he knows.”

“He signed his leave papers himself but I doubt he’ll remember.”

“Why?”

Manager Soyou shrugs. “He’s not in his right mind for a while.” She says, walking to the coffee pot on the counter and grabs it by the handle. She puts the mug in her hand on the desk and pours some more coffee in it, then stops like she remembered something. “Come to think of it, it’s the first time I saw him having conversation with someone in two weeks. He came to work barely. I wonder if something happened to him.”

Changkyun perks up. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Manager nods and Kihyun walks back in with the same hurry he had when he left.

“Chuck is on parental leave. I don’t know what to do. Jisoo is at her hometown and Jaebum will be here at Monday. There is no one from my team. I could fix them by tomorrow if I had someone with me but no, it won’t work. I can’t finish it until deadline.” He says, hands rubbing his temples.

Manager looks at him and waves her hand in the air. “Don’t we have anyone who can help you?”

Changkyun looks down to his charcoals- yeah they are charcoals he admits that. He knows what he should say and he knows he is gonna work more but who cares if he can spend some alone time with Kihyun? He got to do that so much in the past but he never wanted to do it willingly so he should take this chance.

“If only your engineer was as smart as I was so he could make your job easier by using a statistics program. I developed one to help my team out and we finished our task before Christmas.” He says out loud casually, looking at the standing duo thoughtfully.

Manager Soyou looks at him then and to Kihyun like an idea came to her mind. “How about he helps you?” She points Changkyun while she looks at Kihyun.

Kihyun’s eyebrows are pulled together, he looks at Changkyun, opens his mouth to speak but says nothing.

He is at the point he can’t say no.

Got’cha.

“I mean… I don’t know.” Changkyun says, glancing to him. “I did work on a project like this before as I said but it’s not the same one so…”

“You are a very talented person. I’m sure you can find a way to help him finish.” Manaeger Soyou says with glints in her eyes.

Changkyun looks at her and then looks at Kihyun who seem like he is very desperate. “Of course I'm willing to help my _friends_ if they need my _help_ and they are desperate because what are friends for, right? What do you think about it Kihyun? Hm?” He asks, tilting his head. “I’m the only one who can help you.” He says sweetly but he knows that Kihyun knows he is playing with him and he is enjoying every last bit of it.

“I… I think it’ll be good.” Kihyun grits out, smiling. He is so obviously annoyed by the whole situation, it’s almost funny.

“What’s that?” Changkyun puts his hand on his ear.

Kihyun sighs, plasters a fake smile on his face. “I’d be really happy if you can help me finish this project by tomorrow.” He says and adds. “ _Friend_.”

“Oh my god of course!” Changkyun nods happily, puts his hand on his chest. “I never say no to a _friend_ in distress. You can count on me, _friend_.”

“Great.” Manager smiles at them and grabs her mug. “Then I’ll be expecting the results by tomorrow noon. Have a good work night boys.”

Kihyun waits until she is gone to turn Changkyun with fuming eyes and say, “You are incredible. You had to just make me talk like that right? For your ego boost.”

Changkyun shrugs carelessly. “You would have done the same…” He grins, “ _Friend_. Looks like you will be stucking with me along the numbers tonight Yoo. That sounds like a date night.”

“Ugh I hate you.” Kihyun huffs with a head shake.

“Ohh you are so sweet. I hate you too.” Changkyun says with a mocking smile and Kihyun rolls his eyes, walking out of the room. “See you later, I’ll bring pajamas!” Changkyun yells after him. He turns to his charcoal breakfast with a smile. Hyungwon is right. Somethings are definitely changing and Changkyun is gonna make sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there' Thanks for reading!!  
> I hope you understand what Changkyun is trying to do and you can read the underlines of some sentences. There are a few connections and small details tangled with other chapters like the way Changkyun talk with Kihyun changed over chapters but I'll just keep it hush hush 😄
> 
> I hope you had fun! Please leave a comment, I really like reading and replying them^^ even though I reply late mostly... sorry for that lol


	6. Somewhere In Between At Earth 616

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there!! Again, I've failed to finish it in one chapter but rest assured 7 will be the last chapter.  
> I won't spoil the chapter but I hope you will like it.  
> Thank you for the kudos and comments, I really like reading comments so I'd be really happy if you tell me what's on your mind because comments are boosting me tbh
> 
> Please enjoy^^
> 
> ps: I'll do the grammar error check later

Changkyun checks himself from the elevator mirror one last time before he steps outside and knocks Kihyun’s apartment door. His heart is picking up slowly each passing second, Changkyun feels excited. He’s confused and excited and scared a little because it’s the first time that he is willingly coming to Kihyun’s doorstep and he has no idea what’s gonna happen. Yes, he is here to help Kihyun with his team’s failed project but he also plans to speak with him more, trying have normal conversation like two normal people would do. They’re gonna be alone so it’s a perfect chance for Changkyun to try get closer to him, at least a little. Maybe if he keeps taking a step, one day Kihyun will step towards him. That's what Changkyun thinks and hopes for.

Changkyun went home quickly after work and took a shower, picked a purple shirt to wear and a black pant to go with it. He styled his hair at first but then he thought that would be too much, too obvious that he put an effort so he styled his hair like he didn’t put any effort on it. To be honest Changkyun never cared about looking nice to Kihyun before, he always looks very handsome that’s a given but he never did it on purpose, for Kihyun. Another first for him. He got Kihyun’s address from Jooheon who was surprised when he asked for it and Changkyun explained the situation in a rush that he would be helping the older one for a work related thing. Jooheon sent him the address as message but Changkyun did hear him laughing over the phone before he hung up.

Changkyun takes a breathe in and gives it out slowly, trying to relax himself after stepping out of the elevator and coming to the door. He knocks it three times, waiting and hears nothing but his heartbeat until the door cracks open.

Kihyun who is wearing a black shirt over black pants shows himself with all his pretty being. Pretty… that’s another new word he uses for Kihyun but it’s hard not to describe him with sticky cute words when Kihyun’s hair falls to his eyes making him seem young while it looks so fluffy, enough to make Changkyun’s fingers itch to touch. Kihyun holds the door without opening it much with an unfazed expression, his eyes roam on Changkyun who stand there for a few heartbeat. And Changkyun feels really stupid.

“Hi there. Aren’t you gonna let me in?” Changkyun smiles awkwardly to the guy and Kihyun huffs a breathe.

“I don’t know why you insisted on meeting at my house.” Kihyun steps aside, letting him in.

Changkyun gets inside and toes off his shoes. He appreciates Kihyun keeping his shoes neatly in shoe rack before he shrugs his beige coat off. “Because I’m roommates with Jooheon and if you’d come to my place we wouldn’t be able to finish the papers in time. He would just chat with you and we wouldn’t focus on what we’re supposed to do.” Changkyun replies, omitting the fact that Jooheon is actually in fact not at home but he’s working at his studio. Changkyun wanted to come Kihyun’s house because yes, one of the reason is Jooheon but more importantly he thought it would be more private. Changkyun takes off his coat and Kihyun grabs it blindly to hang which Changkyun is very fine with it. Kihyun, Changkyun lately realizes, actually is a very nice person so he gives his coat wordlessly while hiding his smile.

“Why a house though? We could meet up at a library or I don’t know, a cafe or a bar would do too. There are places to study.” Kihyun turns to him after hanging the coat and suddenly his eyebrows are pulled together like an idea came to his mind. “Do you plan to find something in my house to mock with me later?”

Changkyun rolls his eyes, he can’t believe the guy. “I wanted to meet up in a house because it’s cold and I still don’t feel well.” He coughs, patting his chest. “See?” Kihyun grimaces. “I don’t wanna get sick more, _again_ and I don’t think we’ll be able to finish this project of yours before 10pm which happens to be the time most cafes close down. And there is no 24 hour open library around here.” He says without stopping to breathe and lifts the cake box in his left hand. “And besides I come bearing gifts, don’t be mean to me.”

Kihyun looks at him for a moment like he is thinking about something before he gestures him to get inside.

Kihyun’s house is bigger than Changkyun’s and it looks much more elegant. Not that Changkyun’s house is not elegant but he and Jooheon are more relaxed people so they prefer comfort more than visual, Kihyun however seems like he prefers neat but fancy items. The entrance leads to living room, there is two dark navy blue very soft looking couch on geometric shaped gray carpet, a brown coffee table in the middle and a huge tv hanging on the light blue wall.

“Wow imagine watching Lucifer season 5 on that.” Changkyun stares at the big screen. It would be really cool to watch movies and series on this tv. Changkyun and Jooheon has one but they prefer using laptop or phones to watch stuff so they just use it to play games but now Changkyun thinks they may get a bigger tv.

“What?” Kihyun asks, his bag in his hand and Changkyun shakes his head, drops his bag next to couch.

“I was just saying it would be really nice to watch Lucifer’s last season on that.”

Kihyun throws a look at the tv. “Yeah it was good.”

Changkyun turns to him, “You watch Lucifer?” He asks excitedly.

Kihyun humms.

“I watch it too!! I couldn’t finish the last two episodes though, Jooheon hyung is busy lately and we are watching it together so I’m waiting for him.” Changkyun explains even though Kihyun didn’t ask for it.

Kihyun opens the zip of his bag. “It’s a good series.”

Changkyun nods delightedly. “We have a lot in common.”

Kihyun throws him a look but doesn’t comment on that. Still Changkyun wants to talk more about what he likes because one of the most common things for people to get along is finding what both you like and chat about those things. That’s what also that seven step list say too. _Step five, Discover what you share in common._

“So what else do you watch? I like action and detective series. Recently I watched Psycho But It’s Okay and second season of The Blacklist.” He says, looking at Kihyun eagerly.

Kihyun doesn’t dignify him with an answer though, “Why do you ask that?” He frowns.

Not the answer Changkyun hopes but still he replies cheery, “It’s just… I’m curious.”

“Why would you be?”

Changkyun huffs, feeling annoyed. “Because I’d like to… you know what? Never mind. I’ll just wash up.” He says and Kihyun stares at him with a confused face. “Suit yourself. Bathroom is there.” He says and shows the bathroom, Changkyun goes in there, closing the door. He takes a deep breath, feeling very frustrated. Well how can he not be? Holding a casual conversation with Kihyun is harder than he expected. He huffs, trying to calm himself, he grabs the soap. He’s not gonna give up, he needs to keep pushing. The night is just beginning and he can find other topics to talk about. Like Jooheon said if he keeps being sincere, Kihyun will realize that.

Changkyun rinses his hands, dries them with paper towels and with a renowned will, he turns back to living room and as he walks, he notices something.

There is not a bookshelf filled with photography equipments but there's a framed photo on the side wall, a forest filled with tall green trees, the rain drops on the leaves shining through the lifting fog in the air. It's really pretty.  
  
"Did you take that photo?" Changkyun asks, glancing at Kihyun as he walks.  
  
Kihyun looks at him before he slides his gaze to the photo. "Yes."  
  
"Looks really pretty." Changkyun comments and feels his lips tug upwards when he sees Kihyun's proud smile. "It's the forest behind the school right?"  
  
"Yeah. Remember there was a big storm that lasted for three days?? Everywhere was foggy, they had to cancel school for a day."  
  
Changkyun nods, his mind taking him back to that time. He stayed at home, bundled in his fluffy red blanket watching all three of the star wars movies again. It was a great time.  
  
"I took this after it was over." Kihyun explains.  
  
"I didn't know an after storm could look so beautiful." Changkyun says in awe. "You're good at this." He admits to Kihyun who scoffs at him with a smile and says, "I was the club president for a reason."  
  
Changkyun throws him a smirk. "I remember that you were in photography club at high school but I thought you guys were just gathering around, seeming like you're doing something to get extra points."  
  
Kihyun rolls his eyes. “Your phone is ringing.” He says and Changkyun laughs and grabs his bag, pulling his phone out while George Michael sing ‘ _Well, I guess it would be nice if I could touch your body, I know not everybody has got a body like you~_ ’. His mom is calling, he gotta answer.

“Mind if I take this?” Changkyun shakes his phone and Kihyun nods wordlessly.

“Hi mom.” Changkyun answers the call with a sweet voice, turning away from Kihyun.

 _“Hi baby, what are you doing?”_ His mom Grace replies, Changkyun can hear the tv playing at the background.

“I’m at a… a friend’s house to help him something about work.” Changkyun replies, glancing at Kihyun who brings out files and papers from his bag. He doesn’t seem like he’s listening but it’s hard not to when Changkyun speaks within his arm’s reach. Still he’s being polite and looks away, seems busy doing his own thing.

 _“Oh, which friend?”_ Grace happily asks.

“Kihyun.”

Grace hums. _“He’s a sweet kid. Tell him I say hi.”_

“I will.” Changkyun replies, clearing his throat. “Why did you call?”

 _“I just called if you want anything special for your birthday.”_ Grace says. _“By the way did you eat anything?”_

“I had steak and uh… another steak, don’t worry.” Changkyun brushes off. Actually he had a cup of ramen but he doesn’t want to say it to his mom nor say it in front of Kihyun. “Everything you do is delicious so you can do anything and I’ll happily eat. See you at Saturday.”

_“See you.”_

Changkyun hangs up the phone, he gotta buy a bus ticket to Gwangju before it’s too late because then he’s having hard time to find a seat. Last time he had to take a night trip, arriving at the town in the middle of the night with thin clothes in freezing air. Not something he wish to go through again.

“You’re still using Faith as your ringtone since high school.” Kihyun throws him a look, shaking his head. It’s not a question, more like a statement. “It was my favorite song, you had to do it your ringtone and make me feel like I wanna rip my hair off when I hear it right?”

Changkyun looks at his phone’s screen. “Well it’s true that I did it to annoy you but I’m still using it because I like the song.” He admits.

Kihyun clicks his tongue disapprovingly but he doesn’t say anything. He brings out his laptop, placing it on the coffee table.

“Are you going to Gwangju?” He asks while turning his laptop on.

“Yeah. For my birthday.” Changkyun replies, bringing out his own laptop and placing it on the coffee table. Seems like they are gonna sit down on the floor and work on coffee table. It’s okay though, Kihyun’s house has heated floor so Changkyun sits down, turning on his laptop. “Mom said hi by the way.”

“Thanks. Say hi back from me too.” Kihyun replies with a nod.

“I will.” Changkyun replies, somewhat his chest tightens. “Are you talking with your mom?” He throws a glance to the other one. “How is she?”

Kihyun gazes down with a shrug. “She is living with her new family. She’s okay I guess.”

Changkyun feels bad for asking this question, it’s obvious that it pains Kihyun even mention about it so he doesn’t question it further. He just watches as Kihyun settles himself on the floor in front of his laptop.

Kihyun clears his throat, “Shall we begin?” He asks and Changkyun nods, “Let’s do it.”

They work for two hours non-stop. Kihyun shows him papers they prepared and papers they should have do their predictions on. They go through half of the papers, trying to determine which part they should start to fix and they check if there are numbers Kihyun’s team got right to leave them out to not do more work.

Like a clock they work in sync. Both know what the other one is doing and tries to decrease the other one’s work. It’s not the project Changkyun worked on but still, the pattern is same so he gets to adapt to it easily. Besides, Changkyun is very smart, he knows what he should do or he can guess what he should do with the scenario in his hand.

But he can work until some point without a cough bothers him. He feels his mouth dry, he realizes that he didn’t drink anything to wet his throat for a while as he coughs a few times. His lungs are still recovering. Very slowly… The doctors said he should be better by now but Changkyun makes slow progress and his belief in that this is a side effect of dimension travel strengths. Changkyun wonders how long this stupid sickness is gonna last, he wants to feel better quickly.

“Are you okay?” Kihyun looks up from the paper he was checking, throws him a concerned look when his cough last more than it should.

Changkyun shakes his head, touching his neck absent-mindedly. “My throat is a bit dry.”

Kihyun startles then, shoulders tenses barely noticeably. “I forgot to offer you something to drink, didn’t I?” He says but Changkyun senses the soft tone in his voice. He looks so adorable, his stoic expression cracks for a moment when Changkyun nods. So cute.

Kihyun gets up, cracking his joints. “What would you like to drink, coffee or tea?”

“Whatever you’re drinking.” Changkyun replies, patting on his chest. “I’m good with anything as long as it’s hot. Are you gonna give me a slice of cake too?” He asks with round eyes.

“Didn’t you buy it for me?” Kihyun asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, I did but it looked too delicious.” Changkyun says quietly.

“Then you should have one for yourself too.” Kihyun shrugs, picking up the papers scattered around on his side and Changkyun crosses his arms on his chest, pouting.

“You are so mean.”

Kihyun looks at him with a scoff. “Who was the one that grabbed last two pudding to make sure I wouldn’t eat?”

“You can’t hold my past actions against me, we are friends now.” Changkyun waves his hand off. “And in my defense, I like pudding a lot.”

“I know.” Kihyun huffs, evening the edges of papers. He’s really neat.

“You know?” Changkyun tilts his head with a smile.

Kihyun averts his eyes and places the papers on the table with a huff but his pink ears doesn’t go unnoticed. “Whatever.”

“Do you want me to get in your kitchen and make plates for us?” Changkyun tilts his head and throws him a cute smile which Kihyun rolls his eyes. “As if.”

“Pweasseeee.” Changkyun says as sweet as he can but he feels that it was too much, too sickly sweet so he’s repulsed by himself for a moment but Kihyun coughs, looking away. His ears go pink more while he mutters, “Okay okay I will get you one piece.”

“Thank you.” Changkyun smiles bigger, enjoying his fluster.

Kihyun goes to kitchen and Changkyun gathers the rest of the files and arranges them on table before he gets up from where he sit on the carpet to blue couch. It’s more comfortable than it looks, Changkyun leans back, relishing in the softness.

Kihyun comes back with two plates and two cups of tea on a tray, offers one to Changkyun before he sits at the other end of the couch.

Changkyun takes a big sip from the tea, feeling it going down warmly in his throat. He feels better now, his throat doesn't hurt much so he takes a bite from the pie, appreciating how tasty it is. He hums softly, praises himself then for looking up a good pastry shop. He adds the shop in his check list, he’ll probably visit that place again. When Changkyun throws a look at the papers and files on the table, laptop’s screen light shines lazily, a familiar feeling warms his body.

“When we sat down to work on your task, I remembered that old times when we were doing projects back in college.” Changkyun mutters with a smile on his face. He doesn’t remember how many times they met up at some library or cafe but considering the fact that they had at least two joined classes per semester, they must have done more than twenty projects together. At that time Changkyun did hate every minute they spent together because they were like torture. Now he doesn’t think he hated it that much. Maybe his new developing feelings are clouding his memories about that time who knows.

Kihyun lets out a laugh. “You were always late to our study dates.”

Changkyun raises an eyebrow but he doesn’t comment on how Kihyun referred to their gathering at library to do the projects their professors gave, instead he says, “And you were always early to our dates.” and smiles when Kihyun doesn’t notice the intended word slip.

“I like being punctual.” Kihyun shrugs, taking a piece from the pie.

“I know.” Changkyun replies and eagerly watches him eat that piece, wondering his reaction because he spent an hour to decide what kind of cake he should buy but since he doesn’t know what type of cakes Kihyun likes, he eventually ended up buying a cherry pie. He hopes Kihyun likes it, he really wants that. So that’s why it feels like a small achievement when Kihyun licks his lips deliciously.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Kihyun asks with a strange expression on his face and Changkyun turns away, pretty sure the tip of his ears pink because he was caught staring.

“Nothing. It’s just…” Changkyun looks down, putting his plate on his lap. “I just remembered that once I got so sick and you had to do the presentation for something about ethics at workplace topic by yourself during second semester of our third year.” He replies. He can’t remember the exact topic of their presentation, their professor paired Changkyun and Kihyun to prepare it together, what a shocker, like they weren’t glued to each other at other classes too.

“Where did that come from all of a sudden?” Kihyun raises an eyebrow at him, putting his plate on the coffee table.

Changkyun shrugs simply. “Nothing.” He replies but he feels Kihyun’s eyes on him so continues. “I’m just reviewing some stuff so I’m remembering old days.”

“What kind of stuff?”

“After having this semi-coma situation I’ve realized that I want things to change in my life. So I’m kinda in the middle of reconsidering some certain things about my life and my past relationships are a part of that certain things and a big part of those certain things happens to be involving you.”

“What?” Kihyun asks frowning.

Changkyun leans back to the couch, turning his body to the other one slightly. Honestly he doesn’t know where to begin or what to say, he knew he’d be talking about them tonight but he didn’t planned anything so he feels stupid all of a sudden. He should have thought about what he’s gonna say, maybe he could write them down. But since he didn’t do that, he decides to go with something that popped into his mind right at that moment, “That time I got sick because the library had power outage for three days. I was wearing thin clothes and I didn’t realize that the coldness got to me. The thing we were working on, it was a really important presentation. That was gonna help professor let us pass or fail the class and I really wanted to pass because that class was hard and we prepared a lot for it. When I woke up with a sore throat and tired body at the day of presentation, I was really angry at myself.” Changkyun says with a huff. “Do you remember what you said to me when you saw me?”

Kihyun glances wearily at him. “No.”

“You said, ‘ _You’re such an idiot Im. I’ll do it alone_.’ and you went to talk with professor.” Changkyun remembers with a faint smile. At that time he felt miserable for getting sick, he could be more careful and not wear ripped jeans in the middle of december when the decorative pool in the school was frozen due to cold. It was completely and honestly his fault.

Kihyun hums softly, looks down before he lifts his gaze to meet with Changkyun’s eyes. “Doing a presentation by myself was horrible. Everybody was looking at me for the whole ten minutes that felt like ten hours, I had to answer all the questions they were throwing at me. As much as I like to be under the spotlights, it was really stressful because it effected our grades more than it should for some reason and we prepared hard for it.”

“But still, you did it.” Changkyun points out.

“Yeah as I said I needed that points. No matter how much that whole thing traumatized me.” Kihyun shivers visibly, probably remembering that day and Changkyun feels sorry. For all their lives Kihyun was the leader, someone who stands at the front, his chest filled with confidence. He was the head of the council at high school, he was the golden charming guy who get along with pretty much everyone around him in college. Every single one of their teacher was swooned by his politeness and hardworking nature because Kihyun was, and still is, a man of order. He liked to know what’s ahead and position himself according to it but that day it was a big surprise element for Changkyun to go feverish suddenly and Kihyun had to shoulder more than his own share. Changkyun barely got up from his bed and went to class, hoping to feel better after a few hours but he was a mess and Kihyun had to do the presentation alone. People directed him weird questions because some of their classmates were total jerks and when they saw Kihyun was alone, they wanted to come at the smart kid but if you’d ask Changkyun he’d say Kihyun did a pretty good job. He answered every question neatly and projected the ones he couldn’t with his best. Changkyun was really impressed how well he handled the situation. Their professor must have been impressed as well because she gave them a B even though they were lacking. That was the first and only B Changkyun ever got in his whole student life. Still he was grateful for that B, because he planned his college life on not retaking classes but if he’d fail he had to retake that one but thanks to Kihyun, he didn’t have to do that. Changkyun acknowledged that it was thanks to Kihyun before but he never talked it with Kihyun. Now seems like a good time since he’s already talking about that matter.

“Despite that I failed you, you didn’t remove my name off of the project.” Changkyun says biting inside his cheek nervously.

Kihyun scrunches up his face like Changkyun said something unrelated. It’s a perplexed Kihyun face. Changkyun fondly adds it to his ever-growing list ‘expressions of Kihyun that I like’.

“You worked hard for that presentation too. You got sick because you studied for it at library for hours. That place was freezing back then, the vent system was down.” Kihyun says, throwing Changkyun a look. “I had to give you a credit.”

Changkyun looks at him, feeling his insides warm. “I never said thank you for that so uhm… thank you.”

Kihyun’s gaze is on him but he stays silent.

“And thank you for bringing extra coats for every study session we had after that.” Changkyun adds with a smile.

Kihyun scoffs then. “They were for me, okay?”

“I didn’t imply anything?” Changkyun teases and he smiles more when he sees Kihyun’s cheeks slightly shades in pink.

“But you were going to!” Kihyun replies, flustered. “They were mine, I’m serious.”

“All three of them?” Changkyun pushes. It’s so fun to tease Kihyun.

“Ye- yeah!” Kihyun rolls his eyes. “After I saw how bad you got sick, I didn’t want to go through something like that. God, you were sneezing so loud.”

“Even if that’s so… “ Which Changkyun is pretty sure it’s not. “Thank you.” He smiles, his heart is beating a little faster.

Kihyun throws him a side glance. “Stop saying that, will you?”

“Nope!” Changkyun refuses, shaking his head. “I told you that I’m renovating my life. I’m adopting a more hmm… positive and nice life style so I gotta get this out of my system.”

“Get it out somewhere else!”

“Would you rather me talk things about you to a stranger? I don’t think so.” Changkyun dares. “So shut up and listen to me because I may never admit this again.”

“Admit what?” Kihyun throws him a concerned look.

“That you’re such a soft-hearted and caring person even to the people you’re not in good terms with. You’re a good person Kihyun, you are a really good person.” Changkyun confesses. “You are a hardworking person and you help people even if it has nothing to do with you.”

Kihyun stares at him like Changkyun is talking some alien language. “What are you doing?”

“Admiring aspects of Yoo Kihyun.” Changkyun replies honestly and watches Kihyun choke on his spit, delightfully.

“Uhm—what?” Kihyun looks up at him with a surprised expression on his face. “You are… You are admiring me? What on earth is going on? The world is ending right?” Kihyun shakes his head, his hair bounces softly on his head. It’s so cute. “Alien invasion happening? No wait… Apocalypse? Or it’s a dream?”

“Do you have dreams of me admiring you?” Changkyun smiles cheekily.

“No- what? No! What the…” Kihyun flusters very visibly, his ears go pink along with his cheeks. “I do not!”

“Then what is wrong with you? Why are you acting all weird and stuff?” Changkyun rolls his eyes, pretending that his heart isn’t just thumping because Kihyun looks so adorable, all flustered.

Kihyun scoffs. “You never say nice things to me. At least you used to? Now you do and compliment is such a weird word to associate with you. I just can’t wrap my head around it but you keep saying these things for a while and I feel weird.”

“Well you better not feel like that idiot.”

“Don’t call me idiot. You are the idiot.”

“Oh you are the idiot. Guess what? That’s right dumbass I just complimented you. And I’ll probably do it more often from now on and let me add a new surprise for you into this weird mix, now I’m gonna go even further.” Changkyun says, moves closer to Kihyun, looking directly at Kihyun’s eyes who tries to keep it cool but obviously freaks out.

Still, being the smug he is Kihyun tilts his head with a smirk. “What are you gonna do?” He asks, eyes roaming on Changkyun’s face.

Changkyun looks down and huffs a breath before looking up at Kihyun and say, “Thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for sticking around with me even though I was being an asshole to you.”

Kihyun gasps.

Changkyun smacks his shoulder. “Why the fuck are you acting like I’ve never said this to you? I said thank you at the hospital too.”

“Yeah but that was the first time. Now you are saying it again and you admitted you were an asshole this time and this…” Kihyun swallows and Changkyun catches his eyes dropping to the younger’s lips for a moment before Kihyun push him away. “You are standing too close. Get away you freak.”

Changkyun smirks, his gut pulls. “You are the freak.”

“No you are the freak—“

“No you are—“

“I said it first!”

“You know what?” Kihyun gets up from his seat. “I think we gotta keep working.”

“What?” Changkyun stares at him. “But we were talking?”

“You’re acting stupid since you arrived and we finished our plates, we don’t need to keep up this chit chat. Let’s just get on with this papers.”

“First of all, you’re acting stupid.” Changkyun gets up too. “And second, I was just trying to have a casual conversation with you.” He replies confused.

“Conversation with me?”

“Yeah.”

“You are such a freak.”

“No you are the freak!”

“No you are—“

“Didn’t we do this already?” Changkyun says, rolling his eyes. Kihyun throws him a pointy look, sitting back his place on the floor. “Let’s just finish this.” He says. Understanding that it’s useless to try and talk with Kihyun Changkyun sits back too, turning his laptop on again.

Another three hours pass with numbers and papers.

“And it’s done! I’ve finished the last pages.” Changkyun announces with a yawn. He feels so tired, his whole body is stiffed due to sitting in the same position for so long.

“Already?” Kihyun asks surprised. “Wow how did you do that?”

“I told you that I had this program for my team right? It was something I’ve done at college. Bunch of functions with variables working together. I’ve reprogrammed that one so it could help us calculate the possible outcomes of different scenarios which let us have results with realistic probabilities and I’ve adapted it to your project’s scenario. All you have to do is write down the results in proper places.”

Kihyun stares at him, impressed.

“I did good right?” Changkyun tilts his head with a smile.

“What?” Kihyun scoffs.

Changkyun smiles more. “I’ve helped you finish this task early so I did good. Tell me I did good. Come on tell me. You know I’ve just saved us a few hours to sleep. Tell me I’ve done well. Compliment me. I’ve complimented you, I know you hate to be not even.”

Kihyun tsks but Changkyun can see his eyes are going back and forth between him and his laptop. His eyes don’t meet with Changkyun’s, he looks around unsure like he doesn’t know how to spell those words, like they are unknown to him, words from a foreign language.

“You…” Kihyun starts, looks around with a huff and waits for a few moments before he finally mutters, “You did well.”

Changkyun’s smile widens, he feels victorious. “See. It’s not that hard.” He says smirking. “You did well too friend.”

Kihyun rolls his eyes. “You should stop using that word.”

“What word?” Changkyun asks innocently.

“Friends?” Kihyun says like he said something weird. “Aren’t you tired of this joke already? I mean it was funny at first but it’s getting weirder and I think you should stop.”

Changkyun’s heart is thumping more than it should as he replies, “I’m not… I’m not saying it to just say it. I mean it.”

Kihyun looks at him confused. “We are not friends.”

“Well… I know you since I was a teenager so you are practically my childhood friend.” Changkyun says like that will validate him.

“I heard on you calling me ‘archenemy’ on many occasion Im.” Kihyun scoffs, crossing his hands on his chest.

Changkyun rolls his eyes, waving his hand. “Oh please, I was just a kid.”

“You mean two, three weeks ago?” Kihyun teases.

Changkyun rolls his eyes again. “Yeah two weeks ago, last year and before that. Look I grew up okay? And as I grew up I’ve changed. Many things about me changed but you were a constant in my life and I don’t know, having you anywhere I go, gave me some sort of comfort. You being there, made things easier. I’ve… I’ve realized this lately.”

Kihyun throws him a suspicious look, “What are you trying to say?”

“I’m trying to say that even though all these time we bickered constantly—“

“Your fault.”

“Your fault too but whatever. Anyway after I heard that you were worried sick because of me two weeks ago when I was at hospital…”

“I wasn’t worried sick—“

“It made me realize that I was being unfair to you.” Changkyun says.

“Huh you think so?” Arms crossed over his chest, Kihyun rolls his eyes.

“What?” Changkyun’s eyebrows are creased. “It’s just… what I’m trying to say is--”

“What honestly? What are you babbling about?”

“I’m sorry.” Changkyun says, looking directly in Kihyun’s eyes. “I’m sorry for being a douchebag to you for years. We couldn’t get along in the past because you were insufferable but I was insufferable too so I’m sorry for everything that I’ve done. If you’d like to give me a chance, I would like us to have a better relationship in the future.” He says, his heart is thumping crazy. He never thought he would mutter these words to Kihyun someday, his teen self would never believed him if he’d got a chance to meet up and tell him that but here he is, opening his heart for Kihyun to see and he waits holding his breathe.

Kihyun looks stunned, he doesn’t say anything for a while, he just stares at Changkyun.

“Stop teasing.”

Changkyun feels frustration fills his being. “Why the hell do you think I’m teasing you when I’m just sitting here telling you what the fuck I’m feeling?” He says with an annoyed tone.

Kihyun scoffs. “Because that’s who you are. You tease, you do tricks for me to embarrass myself, you make fun of me. You’re doing this for years, seems like you’ve run out of ideas and trying to come up with new ones.”

Changkyun looks at him in disbelief, gets on his knees, putting his hands on the table. “I can’t believe you. I’m saying I’m sincere you idiot. I mean everything I’ve said. I’m sorry for everything I want us to get along.”

Kihyun shakes his head with a dry laugh. “Why?”

Changkyun sighs and looks at him. This is not gonna work he thinks. He needs something strong, he should show how serious about this to Kihyun so he replies with the only answer he can think of, “Because I like you.”

And never in his life, Changkyun heard his own heart beat this loud.

Changkyun feels his hands shake, thankfully he put them on the hard table and holds himself up while his heart threatens him to stop any minute. Putting all his cards open on the table, playing obvious was the last thing Changkyun thought he was going to do while coming here but he didn’t see any other choice.

Kihyun doesn’t do anything for a while except blinking his eyes. Changkyun thinks if he’s frozen or something, Kihyun seems a lot like those cartoon scenes where the bunny just stops moving because it’s shocked. It takes a few moment for a disappointed expression form on Kihyun’s face. “Wow Im. Seriously.” He says with a fake laugh. “Wow.”

Changkyun’s heart beats at his throat. “What?” He asks as he takes a shaky breathe.

Kihyun shakes his head, looking at him. “I can’t believe that you would go this far.”

“What?”

“I can’t believe you. I really can’t believe you. Are you seriously willing to go this far just to tease me? That is so low-“

“I’m not faking.” Changkyun interrupts him. Kihyun thinks he is not honest? Changkyun is honest, he’s as honest as he can ever be. He’s as honest he thinks he could ever be.

Kihyun throws a look at him, brushing the hair from his eyes and then he looks at Changkyun again. A tear slip down and Changkyun sniffs, he didn’t realize he started crying. He brushes it away with his fingers quickly. The tease on Kihyun’s face change into surprise in a blink then. “You’re serious.”

Changkyun doesn’t reply, he feels like a rock is sitting on his throat so he nods, hoping it will be enough but his heart aches when a frown forms on Kihyun’s face and he say, “You don’t like me.”

Changkyun’s every fiber in his body is denying that statement. “I do.” He says in whisper.

“You don’t.” Kihyun repeats. “You hate me.”

Changkyun’s chest is hurting as he shakes his head slowly. “I don’t hate you Kihyun. Not anymore.”

It’s like those scenes in the movie. None of them mutter any words as they just stare at each other, Kihyun with a confused face and Changkyun with his hands on his chest, holding his breathe.

“What changed?” Kihyun asks eventually. “You were hating me until 4 weeks ago. What changed?”

“I did.” Changkyun replies.

“And you want me to believe this? After all this year of bickering and fighting, you want me to believe that you’re changed? What you think about me has changed?” Kihyun asks, dry and emotionless, a terrifying contrast to what Changkyun’s feeling.

Changkyun nods, unable to reply because his throat and chest really hurt, he can feel the tears stinging more. Another tear slips down and Changkyun quickly wipes it off with the back of his hand.

“Are you sure this is not a joke?”

“Oh god stop saying that!” Changkyun sighs in frustration and gets up, hovering over Kihyun. “It’s not a joke! For days, I’ve been trying to show that I’ve changed, I’m trying to be good to you. I’m doing my best. Can’t you see that? Can’t you believe that I’m being honest? Is it that hard for you to believe that I like you? Is it?”

“It is!” Kihyun replies, his eyes going wide and his voice raises as he gets up too. “This is ridiculous don’t you see?”

“Apparently I don’t! Because if it’d seem ridiculous I wouldn’t fucking say I like you, wouldn’t I?” Changkyun’s voice raises too.

“Do you really want me to believe you?” Kihyun steps closer in a daring way. “You weren’t even caring about me until 4 weeks ago but now what, you wanna kiss me?”

“Yeah I do!” Changkyun replies and without thinking much he grabs Kihyun’s collar, pressing his lips on his. It’s brief, probably doesn’t even last for five seconds but it’s enough for Changkyun to feel his chest warm up immediately, his heart tries to punch a hole and escape from his chest.

Changkyun takes a step away from him, looking at Kihyun for him to say something but Kihyun stands there with big eyes, his body unmoving and longer he doesn’t say anything, a horror invades Changkyun’s being rapidly, sucking the air out of his lungs.

What did he do?

“Oh my god… Oh my god what have I done…” He mutters, taking a few step back, his legs hit the blue couch. “I’m sorry Kihyun, I’m sorry.” He says and grabs his bag from the floor, rushing out of the apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the chapter  
> please tell me what you think ^^  
> any comment good or bad is good^^
> 
> stay safe always <3


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